


Freehold

by Zoi no miko (zoi_no_miko)



Series: Glamour & Reverie [9]
Category: Changeling: the Dreaming, Dark City (1998), Mirrors (2008)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Changelings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Fae & Fairies, Fae Magic, M/M, Mind Control, Minor Canonical Character(s), Psychological Torture, Temporary Amnesia, Urban Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-18 22:03:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 58,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5944810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoi_no_miko/pseuds/Zoi%20no%20miko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a secret freehold in the heart of the city thrives a clan of Fairy Changelings. But when a sinister group of men take over, they threaten both the lives of the fae and the well being of the city itself....</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded by a sleep.” – William Shakespeare

~~~~

On the night that everything changed, Ben woke to the sharp, piercing clamor of alarm bells that hadn’t been used for anything more than celebration for decades. For a moment he froze, mind uncomprehending what was happening. They’d lived undisturbed in the freehold for what seemed like forever, a small group of kithain in the middle of a human city, surrounded by trees and the ocean.

But nothing could remain perfect forever.

Larry was already out of bed, throwing on clothes that had been in the back of the wardrobe for ages; hoofed feet stepping into short pants before he pulled on a leather vest and jacket, reinforced but not nearly the kind of impenetrable armor needed for an _attack_. He belted the sheathes for his long daggers around his thighs, passing the leather bracers and brass knuckle dusters to Ben from the top shelf. “Get Daniel out of here. I’ll find Lord Murdoch.”

Ben nodded silently, buckling the bracers on his forearms and fastening leather armor that he’d never worn for anything but training. The sawn off shotgun of brass and mahogany felt reassuring as he slipped it into the holster strapped to his thigh. “As soon as he’s through the trod I’ll come back and fight.”

“I know.” The Satyr grabbed his musket down off the wall, slinging it over his back before stepping in to press a hard kiss to Ben’s mouth. “Fulfill your oath and come back to me.”

They darted out of their rooms and out onto the entresol overlooking the main courtyard of the freehold and stopped short. The gates of the freehold were thrown open, and Ben could see the fallen body of the Boggan who had been keeping watch that night, slumped by the alarm bell. What seemed like an endless stream of Slaugh streamed through the gates – all pale, spindly creatures, hairless and dressed in black, brandishing knives and swarming towards the small group of kithain who had appeared from freehold, weapons drawn to fight. Ben’s foundling was at their head, a fierce troll woman named Angela who’d only awakened less than a year ago, and his heart stopped beating for a moment. Had he trained her well enough? Would she be safe?

“Go find your brother,” Larry repeated urgently, grabbing his arm and pulling him down the veranda and through the doors to the public halls of the keep. He’d disappeared down the staircase towards the main hall before Ben could say anything in reply, and he pushed away his fear, instead touching the ring on his thumb to activate the cantrip that would always tell him where his charge was.

The library. Of course. He took off at a run through the upper hallways, quickly reaching the courtyard outside the library and vaulting over the balustrade and onto the grass. Daniel had just reached the doors of the library, the Sidhe’s blue eyes wide and skin pale. “What’s happening?”

“We’re under attack. Fucking Slaugh, hundreds of them, must be Unseeligh – where the hell did they even come from?” Ben caught Daniel’s arm as he spoke, pulling him back into the library and deeper into the freehold. “I have to get you out of here.”

“I’m not going anywhere without John.” His voice shook, but Daniel stood firm, digging his heels into the carpet and leaning back with all his strength as he tried to twist his arm from Ben’s grasp. “I can’t leave him.”

“Larry’s gone to protect him. I can’t put you in danger,” Ben replied, holding firm. “Come on. I’ll throw you over my shoulder if I have to, Daniel.”

“I can’t leave him,” Daniel repeated, voice breaking and eyes bright. “I can’t – if something happens – “

Ben stopped, stepping close and pulling the smaller fae into his embrace. “I’ll protect him. But I can’t help them unless I know you’re safe. Please, Daniel – “ his voice broke on his brother’s name. “Please let me go help him.”

Daniel drew a shivering breath, and then nodded against his chest. “Let’s go.”

It took entirely too long to reach their destination, flinging open the nondescript door at the end of an unassuming hall and running down the hundreds of marble stairs that spiraled down into the earth, past hissing copper pipes and the gears of the machines that ran the conveniences of the freehold. Daniel half flew down the steps, feet hardly touching on every step. He reached the bottom first, and Ben jumped down the last few stairs to join him, dust rumbling on the floor as the Troll landed heavily. Five identical doors were set into the stone wall, but only one lead to safety. Ben twisted open the second ring he wore, carved brass clicking into the form of a key that matched the one on the ring of Daniel’s forefinger. Turning two of the brass gears on the face of the door revealed the keyholes, and as both keys slid home Daniel closed his eyes, form brightening with glamour. “The house of Liam bids you open.”

“I’ll be back,” Ben promised as Daniel slipped inside. “I’ll bring them both here safely. I’ll send everyone I can find to join you. Use your watch to keep an eye on the stairs, and if you see any sign of the Slaugh you close the door and take the trod somewhere safe. Promise me.”

Daniel gave a sharp nod, outwardly still despite the fear Ben could see in his eyes. He took the pocket watch from the front of his vest and clicked it open, the inside of the filigree cover polished mirror bright, a chimerical seer glass. He glanced down at it, and then leaned tall to press a brief kiss to the corner of Ben’s mouth. “I promise. Now go. Please.”

Ben nodded, and turned for the stairs. As he climbed the bright marble began to turn dark, warm copper pipes dimming to an eerie silver blue. Already the Slaughs’ glamour was taking hold of the freehold… he could only hope it wasn’t too late.

He heard the clang of blades as he ran through the library courtyard, almost running into a dark-haired Selkie that hid in the shadows by the door, hands clenched on the doorway as if unable to make herself leave. Beyond her the hallway lamps illuminated a blond Satyr fighting two of the Slaugh with her short swords, two more of the attackers fallen beyond them in the hallway. She cried out as one of the Slaugh’s knives caught and slashed her forearm, and Ben drew his gun without hesitation, firing explosions of energy into the chest of one and the head of the other, knocking them to the ground.

May staggered back, breathing hard, and sheathed her swords with difficulty to press her hand to the wound. “The others are trying to hold the front hall. I was trying to get Anna away – “

Ben gave a sharp nod, cutting her off. “Daniel and I opened the trod. Get Anna there and stay with them. I’ll bring the others.” Without waiting for her reply, he started towards the main hall at a run. Two Slaugh appeared through the doors to the hall and he rushed them both without thinking, slamming the first into the stone wall with his body, catching a pale wrist in one hand and squeezing until he heard the bones crack and the Slaugh dropped his knife with a cry of pain. He stepped back and spun, throwing his body into the second Slaugh, both fae crumpling to the ground, unconscious.

Then he pushed open the door to the hall, to a sea of black clothes and pale faces. A human woman lay crumpled and unconscious on the floor, and with a shock Ben realized that it was Angie, her glamour cut away and her fae soul banished by the Slaugh’s blades.

The end of the hall was a flurry of movement: Larry was standing back to back with Lord Murdoch, musket held in both hands like a bo, but as he shoved one Slaugh aside another took its place. Ben lifted his shotgun, reloading and firing two more blasts of energy into the fray, but there was too many of them. Lord Murdoch swung the jagged remains of his broken sword at the attackers, green cat eyes blazing madness and fury, then cried out as another Slaugh rushed in to bury his blade in his stomach. He snarled, and staggered, swiping wildly at the Slaugh with one clawed hand, then fell, glamour bleeding away.

Larry twisted, horns connecting with one Slaugh to toss him out of the way, but the rest were too many for him. He caught Ben’s gaze helplessly from across the room, lips forming one word.

Go.

It took every inch of Ben’s willpower to fight the rage and bloodlust, to remember his charge. It was too late for them. He had to protect Daniel.

The Slaugh turned, and Ben spun before they could start after him, running back through the keep as fast as he could. He could hear their whispers as a few pursued him, but they fell further and further behind him. He shouldn’t matter to them anyway, not anymore. Murdoch was dead. The freehold was theirs.

He half-tumbled down the last few stairs, climbing to his feet to dart through the still open door, pulling it closed behind him. Beyond, in the glow of the silver path of the Trod, Anna was tying a wide strip of her dress around the slash on May’s arm.

Ben stared at her in horror. “Where’s Daniel?”

May shook her head helplessly. “He was gone when we got here. The door was open, and there was no one here.”

A whisper of glamour touched him at that, the whispered words of a cantrip and the touch of his brother’s magic. _’Ben, brother and protector. I release you from your charge.’_

He felt the bond between them shatter. Daniel was truly gone.

The reality of everything that had happened rushed in all at once, the Dreaming darkening around him. Protecting Daniel was his purpose. They’d been reborn to the same mortal parents to facilitate this. They’d never been apart.

I’ve lost everything, he thought, and sunk to his knees in despair.

~~~


	2. Chapter 2

After they escaped the captured freehold May stood still for a long moment, taking in everything around her. Behind them lay the door to the freehold, the sanctuary she’d known for the past year of her life. Before…the Near Dreaming a world made of magic that stretched out in front of them. It had forms both familiar and alien; dark, towering trees and rocky crags, the occasional hint of movement that spoke of creatures she didn’t want to contemplate.

She’d heard about this place, this world that layered on top of the mortal world, this realm of untempered magic where dreams ran wild. There were legends that there were links to Arcadia deep in the dreaming, their true home that had been ripped away from them when Mortals stopped believing in fae kind. Many of their kind had run back to Arcadia when that had happened before they were completely cut off, away from the mortal disbelief that would sap them of life. It was mostly nobles who had made it back, she’d been told. Daniel’s kind, the Sidhe. The fae who had stayed behind were forced to hide to survive, and nobles and commoners alike became changelings: faery souls hidden inside a mortal shell, completely unaware of their true nature until such a time as something magical could touch them, awaken them.

For her, it had been Anna.

May had always seen the world a little differently, flashes of colour where they shouldn’t be, creatures in her garden as a child that shouldn’t have been real. She’d turned to art to try and understand it, certain that the people she met who created beautiful music and paintings must be taking inspiration from the flickers of wonder that sometimes made their way into her world. Instead she found LSD, and for a time believed that the things that she saw were only a result of strange chemicals in her brain. But it felt good, to be with artists and musicians, and when she turned sixteen she ran away from home and moved to San Francisco, where she was welcomed into an artists’ commune with open arms. She’d learned to create jewelry and sew beautiful clothes, and spent years with the artists, selling their art and sharing everything. In the summer they travelled, visiting music festivals all over North America, experiencing art and music and falling in love.

She’d been in Canada at the end of her nineteenth summer at an electronic music festival, high as a kite. She’d dropped acid, and one of the girls she was camping with had somehow put MDMA in all of their water bottles, and the world around her had gone into a tail spin. A kind boy in a loincloth and day-glow tribal war paint had found her puking in the bushes and talked her out of her panic, giving her a bit of powder to snort that he said would help bring her down. Instead it had made her feel drunk, limbs heavy and uncoordinated, and she’d barely managed to make it to the festival’s quiet area before passing out hard at the base of a tree.

May had awoken in one of the big medical tents with her head in someone’s lap. She could hear a soft, soothing humming, and someone’s fingers stroked gently through her hair again and again. “You should drink,” said a girl’s voice, and a bottle of water was pressed to her lips. For a moment she resisted, remembering the chemical taste of the MDMA – but no, this water was pure, and she drank huge gulps.

“How are you feeling?” the voice had asked, and May had given a hard, helpless laugh.

“I feel like death. I think I overdosed on something, and then I think someone gave me Special K….”

The girl gave a soft, understanding hum. “Go back to sleep. I’ll be here to watch over you.” Her fingers touched May’s forehead gently, so warm that it somehow soothed her pounding headache and cleared her mind from the haze of the drugs. May fell back asleep.

When she awoke it was the afternoon, warm light filtering down through the trees outside the tent. She could still hear the distant thrum of the music, but inside the tent it was warm and peaceful, and she felt completely clear headed for the first time in weeks. Someone’s arms were wrapped around her, a warm body pressed to her back, and as she moved they tightened around her a little and a soft kiss pressed to the back of her neck.

She turned in the other’s embrace to see a girl about her age with long, dark hair and eyes that were like pools of night: completely black, even the whites. She blinked. No… they were green, weren’t they? The girl smiled. “Good morning. How are you feeling?”

“I…” May hesitated. “I think I’m better. Were you the one looking after me?”

“Yes. One of my friends tripped over you where you’d passed out, so we brought you here. I wanted to make sure you were all right.”

“Thank you.” May liked the girl immediately, more than just the free love of the festival. There was something warm and welcoming about her. “I’m May.”

“I’m Anna.” She smiled again, fingers reaching up to stroke through May’s hair. “You don’t need drugs to see the world as it really is, do you? Sometimes you see things all by yourself.”

May returned her smile curiously, lazily enjoying her touch. “Sometimes. But it’s just acid flashbacks.”

“That’s what people tell you. But people don’t always understand what’s really happening. What if I told you that I could show you how to see the magic in the world whenever you liked, without drugs?”

It sounded crazy. But there was something about Anna that made May want to believe her, to trust her. So she agreed, let Anna take her hand and lead her back through the camps. Anna’s friends had set up camp in what was somehow the most beautiful part of the forest, close to the lake, and the clearing was filled with huge patchwork tents and hammocks. Around a picnic table, two androgynous looking boys with spiky black hair were arguing over some kind of schematic they were working on, and over the campfire a gypsy-like girl was stirring a huge pot of stew. Two more were playing acoustic guitars at the edge of camp, sweet, calming music. Anna introduced her to all of them, to so many that she forgot half their names, but they all welcomed her with easy smiles and strangely knowing looks. The stew was delicious, and for a time she just sat and listened to everything. The two boys with the schematic were designing a monster vehicle to take down to Burning Man, and the gypsy girls with the guitars were going with them along with the other members of their belly-dance troupe.

“Are you going?” May asked Anna as she finished the stew.

Anna smiled and shook her head. “The desert’s too dry for me, I’m afraid. Would you like to come for a swim?”

She followed Anna down to the beach, walking along the sand until the shore grew rocky, climbing over rocks until they reached a small, private area where they could strip down to their underwear to swim. Anna had brought a tote bag with her, and she spread towels on the sun-warmed rocks, then brought out a small tupperwear container that was filled with strawberries. She held one on the palm of her hand. “Do you still want to see what I promised you?”

“Yes,” May had replied, without fear. She watched Anna smile and sit on the edge of a rock, legs dangling in the water and begin to sing. May had never been able to remember the words or the tune, but the way it made her feel – warm and bright and sweet and perfect, like she wanted to dance and laugh and cry all at once – that she never forgot. Anna seemed to glow, and when the song finished she stood to press the strawberry to May’s lips wordlessly, fingers cupping her cheek as May ate the berry, closing her eyes as it was followed by the sweetest press of Anna’s lips to her own.

When she opened her eyes again, everything as exactly as Anna had promised. Her eyes were black again, completely inhuman and yet warm and inviting all at once. The world was brighter and more beautiful than any drug could ever make it, the air full of colour and shining points of light. Anna pulled what looked like an animal skin from the bottom of the tote bag, wrapping it around her body. “Come swim,” she’d murmured, and dove in.

May followed without question, somehow not surprised to find that instead of the human girl she met, she was now swimming with a sweet, dark seal with liquid black eyes. The seal-that-was-Anna nudged up against her as they swam, playing with her and chasing her through the water. When she tired, May climbed back onto the rocks and Anna followed, human again, setting aside the skin to dry beside her. She pinned May to the sun-baked rocks for another warm, yearning kiss, body warm and soft against hers.

“You’re a Selkie,” May said, the word coming back to her from fairy stories of her childhood. “You’re not human.”

“I’m part human,” Anna replied, stroking her hand over the small of May’s back to caress a flick of a tail that she didn’t know she had. May looked down in surprise to see her legs covered with soft, tawny golden fur, to see hooves where her feet should be. “I’m part human,” Anna had murmured again, finding her mouth for another kiss. “And so are you.”

They’d made love on the rocks, slow and tender and more intense than May had ever dreamed possible, and when they finally went to dress she found that her clothes had become a beautiful sleeveless gown of white cotton and lace, tight at the bodice and ending at her knees in full ruffles. Anna’s clothes were strangely the same but in black, and she looked May over with a warm smile, reaching out to run a hand along the bodice of her dress. “I’m so glad I found you. Will you stay with me?”

“As long as you’ll let me,” May found herself promising. She’d said goodbye to her friends after the festival, gathering her belongings and going with Anna back to her island, to the freehold. She’d pledged alliance to man that Anna called brother, Lord Murdoch with his green cat-slit eyes and mischievous smile. She’d met others, more kinds of fae than she had ever imagined could exist: Satyrs like herself with their horns and beautiful hoofed goat legs, the gypsy-like Eshu and the spiky haired inventors who called themselves Nockers. She met Boggans and Pooka and the tall, silver-blue Troll warriors. She met the man who was Lord Murdoch’s consort: beautiful and slight with piercing blue eyes and hair so blonde that it was almost white and seemed to defy gravity. Anna had called him a Sidhe with soft reverence in her voice – the remnants of Fae nobility, May had later learned. But Daniel was as kind as everyone else, and began to teach May about the history of the fae from the books in his libraries. His mortal brother and guardian was a Troll named Ben, and May had to admit that if she’d been into men and not so deeply in love with Anna that he probably would have set her heart a-flutter. But Ben’s heart was as taken as hers was, belonging completely to the Satyr who soon became May’s mentor, a man with red-gold hair and fur and a generous smile named Larry.

It was hard to think of all that being gone.

“Where are the others?” she finally managed to ask, pulling Anna closer as the woman moved to embrace her. Ben had crumpled to his knees on the silver path as if having no will to go on, and his voice was heavy and leaden when he spoke.

“We’re all that managed to escape. I got there too late. Lord Murdoch fell in the great hall. Larry fell protecting him.” Ben closed his eyes for a moment, a shiver running through him.

“I thought it was forbidden to kill another fae,” May found herself saying, tightening her arms around Anna. “How could they attack us? How could they do this?”

“Our weapons won’t kill a mortal shell,” Ben replied, seeming to pull himself together a little more. “They only kill the fae soul inside. Our mortal self will slip into a coma, and when they awake they won’t remember anything about being fae at all. Not glamour, not the freehold, not… not us.”

Anna’s shoulders shook in her embrace, but her voice was strong and determined. “So we find them again. We wake them up.”

“Just the three of us?” May looked down at her, incredulous at the thought of the undertaking.

“There’s more,” Anna replied. “Not everyone stays at the freehold. There’s other fae in the city, other Selkie in the sea. We just have to find them. We’ll take our freehold back.”

“If the Slaugh didn’t find them all first,” Ben replied softly. “And most of our warriors are fallen. They – they won’t even know who they are anymore. And without Lord Murdoch … without Daniel….” His voice faltered, and May found herself moving, letting go of Anna to crouch on the ground in front of him, one hand cupping his face.

“We’ll find Larry,” she said softly, watching a little of the old spark come back into Ben’s eyes. “We’ll wake him up. He won’t forget us so easily, I know it. He won’t forget you. Then we’ll go from there.”

Ben nodded slowly, getting back to his feet. “Thank you. We’ve got another problem, though… I don’t know the way out of here. And even if we wanted to get back into the Freehold, I can’t open the door without another fae of my House… or Daniel’s key.”

“I can guide us,” Anna said softly, slipping her hand into May’s. She looked out along the silver path that stretched out in front of them, pointing into the distance. “The first branch of this path moves from land to water. It opens by a little island out at sea, guarded by Selkie. We’ll be safe with them. We can regroup. I think it’s the safest way to go, as long as you don’t mind a little swimming?”

Ben nodded, starting out along the path and into the darkness of the dreaming. “Let’s go.”

~~~


	3. Chapter 3

It was easy to lose track of time in the dreaming, Ben reflected as they made their way down the silver path of the trod, the area around them lightly lit by the shining glow from the path. He could see shapes in the distance; trees, hills, the jagged ruins of strange buildings, and erratic movements that spoke of the chimerical beasts that made their home here. It made him a little uneasy, being the lone protection for the Selkie and her wounded Satyr lover. But chimera rarely came close to the path. They should be safe.

It seemed like hours later when they finally reached the water’s edge, following the path down craggy cliffs and across a beach of black sand. The path disappeared into the water to gleam on its surface like moonlight, though the sky was quiet and black. Half buried in sand was a battered rowboat that Anna began to tug towards the water. Ben moved to help her, pushing it out until the water swirled around his ankles. He glanced from Anna to May. “Get in. I can handle this.”

“There’s no oars,” May said worriedly, looking down at the bottom of the boat, where water was beginning to seep through the cracks. “And I’m not sure this thing is seaworthy.”

“I can take care of the sea,” Anna replied, glancing up at Ben. “Can you handle oars?”

He nodded wordlessly, leaving the girls to hold the boat and retracing his steps on the beach until he found a few pieces of driftwood that he dug out of the sand. A little glamour was enough to convince them to become thick, strong oars. He returned to help May and Anna both into the boat, handing them the oars as he pushed the boat into the waves, then carefully climbing in with them. Anna had her seal skin wrapped around her shoulders like a shawl, the fine fur glowing ever so slightly as he began to row, a glow that extended to the boat below them. He didn’t try to speak with her, focusing instead on propelling them through the water.

“We’re here,” Anna said after what seemed like an eternity, and Ben anchored the oars in the water to stop their progress.

He couldn’t see anything around them to indicate that where they were was any different than the other miles of water they must have already passed through on the moonlit path. “Are you sure? How do you even know where we are?”

“My kind guards the gate to this trod,” Anna replied, slipping over the side of the boat and into the water. “We’ll have to dive. I can help May. Just leave the boat here… will you be all right?”

“I’ll be fine,” Ben replied with a smirk. “Heavy things sink.” He waited until May had slipped out of the boat as well before joining them in the water. Anna had already turned into a seal, and she disappeared underneath the surface of the water with May half holding on to her. Ben took a deep breath and dived after her, the area around them still lit with the same silver glow that had reflected on the water, guiding them here. He saw May and seal-Anna disappear under an outcropping of rock and followed, pulling himself through a narrow channel between the rocks and feeling the familiar shiver that meant leaving the Dreaming for the mortal world. When he emerged from the rock channel there was light above, and he pushed up to surface in an ocean cove, pulling in deep breaths of air. Ahead of him, May turned back to wave him forward, easily visible in the gray light of pre-dawn. “This way. We’re almost there.”

Something furry brushed up against him, and he started, only to realize that it was another seal, several seals swimming around them in the cove. No, not seals, more Selkies – most of them, anyway, mixed in with their animal kinsman, barking greetings. He let them urge him along, following Anna and May around the rocks until they emerged on a small, rocky beach filled with sleeping seals that raised their heads sleepily to regard them, and then ignored them.

Anna stepped from the water, human again, water sluicing off her body and onto the rocks. May shook herself, squeezing water out of her sodden dress and shivering. He could see a human form moving down to them from the tree line, and he heard her soft, musical greeting to the two Selkie that had escorted them onto the beach. She stepped forward to embrace Anna, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders and kissing her cheek. “Well met, bao-bao. I’m so glad to see you. Come, bring your friends to get warm.”

The woman wrapped another blanket around May, giving her the same kiss of greeting, looking up at Ben with an amused smile on full lips. She had the same dark eyes as Anna, Ben could see now that she was closer. Selkie eyes, and long dark hair that fell in soft curls around her shoulders. She held a blanket up for him. “You’ll have to forgive if it’s a little small. We don’t often see your kith here.”

He took it with a smile and shake of his head, wrapping it around his shoulders. “It’s a welcome kindness. Thank you.”

“This is Serra,” Anna told him as they started to walk up towards the trees. “She’s kind of the leader here. Serra, this is my beloved, May, and Ben of House Liam.”

“I see.” The woman looked up at Ben again, appraisingly, silent for a long moment before giving a little nod. “You’re most welcome here. I’ve had many friends of your noblest of households.”

“Thank you,” Ben replied, not quite sure what to make of her quiet sense of self-assuredness and the unspoken knowledge in her eyes.

Serra nodded. “Anna’s mistaken, I’m not the leader here, you know. We all run this place together.”

“But everyone looks to you, Serra,” Anna replied with a playful wink.

“What is this?” Ben glanced over his shoulder to scan the horizon, trying to place their location, but he couldn’t see any land beyond the small island they stood on.

“A dive school and yoga retreat.” A smile played about the corners of Serra’s lips as she took them into the lodge, just a small touch of pride. “It keeps us close to the water and inspiring mortals. We can’t just spend our days chasing fishing boats anymore.”

“Makes sense,” Ben mused. Inside the lodge they were greeted by another pair of Selkie; a tiny slip of a girl with a ballerina’s physique and dark hair down to her ass who took Anna and May over to the fire, and a fine-featured pretty man in suit pants and a vest who met them with a first aid kit and began to unwrap the binding on May’s arm. He reminded Ben far too much of Daniel and he had to turn away.

“Why don’t you come with me?” Serra’s soft voice and a touch on his arm distracted him from his sorrow. He regarded her for a moment, and then nodded, following her through the lodge and into a smaller room. It was warm and immediately both welcoming and luxurious, the walls hung with drapery and the furnishings rich and soft, making him think of the orient. A low table with cushions around it sat by the fire with an oriental tea service on it. Serra touched his arm again, nimble fingers starting on the water-logged leather of his bracer. “Make yourself comfortable, Ben. We’ll take care of your armor and weapons.”

“You don’t need to go to any trouble – “

“It’s no trouble.” Serra’s smile was warm, real. “We love having guests, but we’re rarely able to enjoy visits from other kith. You’re very welcome here for as long as you’d like to stay. And you’ve had a very long night.”

“You don’t know the half of it.” Ben muttered, helping her strip him down until he was left only in the pants he’d pulled on hurriedly when they were awoken so rudely earlier.

Serra set his things all outside the door to the little room, and then settled on the cushions on one side of the table in a graceful swirl of silks. “Would you like some tea?”

“Thank you,” Ben replied, settling down next to the table a little awkwardly, feeling clumsy next to her and surrounded by so much elegance. But the fire was warm and soothing on his bare skin, and for the first time since he’d woken he realized how exhausted he was.

Serra held her hands over the teapot, singing a few soft words before lifting the pot, pouring now-steaming liquid into two cups and handing one to him. It was soothing, though it couldn’t quite warm the cold knot of despair in the pit of his stomach. “Your ink is very beautiful,” she said, and it took Ben a moment to realize that she was talking about the tattooed whirls across his chest, shoulders and arms, a deep, inky blue-black against the lighter steel blue of his skin. He looked down at his own skin and gave a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “I can’t even remember getting most of them. They’re all signs of battle and honor and triumph, mostly before this life. But some of them I’ve added this time around. For those who are important to me.”

“We’re not so far away that we couldn’t feel that something happened tonight,” Serra said softly, sipping her own tea. “And I know that Anna would not have brought you here unless something happened to your freehold. Is there anything we can help with besides providing safe harbor?”

“I don’t know if there’s anything you can do,” Ben replied helplessly, sipping the tea again and letting the delicate taste of green tea and jasmine soothe him a little more. “We were caught unaware by a group of Slaugh of all things. Dozens, maybe more than a hundred. I don’t even know where they all came from.”

“Slaugh.” Serra’s eyebrows knit together slightly. “It seems strange that a kith who cares more about secrets and intrigue would move to warfare. I could understand a gang of redcaps, but….”

“I don’t know.” Ben shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know what they want and why they did it, other than to have the freehold. But I’ve lost my foundling, my Lord, my lover and my – my brother all in one night. I’m not in a state to really think of anything.”

“Which was your oathbound charge?” Serra asked softly, and Ben glanced up at her sharply, startled. Serra gave a sympathetic smile, reaching out to lay one slender hand over his large one on the table. “I know your kith well, Ben. I know that it’s unlikely for you to join a noble house unless you are titled or oathbound. Would you like to talk about it?”

Ben stared down at her hand on his, feeling a shudder of weariness move through him. “My charge was my mortal brother, Daniel,” he said finally. “Sidhe of House Liam. I swore an oath long before this life to protect him for as long as we both exist. I remember bits of our lives before, remember fighting with him to try and get back to Arcadia. When we couldn’t make it we let our souls reincarnate together. We’ve had several other lifetimes together, I’ve always been by his side. This time we were both born to the same mortal mother.” He looked up at her helplessly, the words spilling out now. “I got him safely out of the freehold and went back to try and help the others, but it was too late. I got back to the keep just to see my lover fall protecting Lord Murdoch. Then he fell as well, and all I could do was run. When I got back to the girls Daniel was gone. Then he – he released me from my oath... and now I hardly know what to do. It’s all I’ve ever known.”

“Just because an oath is dissolved does not mean the spirit of it remains,” Serra replied, refilling his tea. “You can stay here as long as you need to recover and ground yourself. When it’s time to leave we’ll help you get back to the city.” She gave another smile, as if sensing his disbelief. “Love that has lasted for lifetimes will not be lost so easily, Ben of Liam. Trust me on this. I’ve seen it time and time again.”

“I wish I had your faith,” he said with a sigh, but Serra merely shook her head and smiled.

“And I wish I had your courage, sir Troll. Come, I’ll show you to one of our spare rooms in the lodge. You can rest there as long as you like. I’ll have your things brought up to you as soon as they dry.”

“Thank you,” Ben replied, getting to his feet and following her out of the room. The staff rooms were simple but comfortable, and it was easy enough to melt into the double bed and fall fast asleep.

He was awoken sometime later by a pounding on the door and he sat up groggily, blinking in the points of sunlight that streamed through the blinds at the window. For a moment he was disoriented, not used to waking alone or in strange surroundings. Then everything that had happened in the night came back to him.

The door to the room opened before he could reply to the knock, and May stepped inside, face pale. “There’s something happening over the city. You have to come quickly.”

The rest of his clothes and weapons were set out neatly on top of the room’s small chest of drawers, and Ben grabbed for his shirt, pulling it on overtop of his head. He grabbed his shotgun and the holster as well as he followed May out the door at a run, but instead of taking the stairs down to the main floor of the lodge she went past them, opening a door at the end of the hall onto a spiraling staircase up. He’d missed the bell tower when they’d arrived this morning, but when they reached the top he could see over the tree line to the entire island around them. It was small, heavily forested, broken by small clearings, cabins, and a second lodge. But what drew his attention was a mass of land just visible on the horizon beyond the island.

“Look.” Serra stood at the rail with Anna, eyebrows knit with concern. The land was hardly visible, but what was happening in the sky definitely was. The storm front building over the land mass was heavier and darker than anything he’d ever seen, casting the island and the sea into shadow. And as he watched, it only got thicker and darker.

“That’s home.” The words, like the realization, felt leaden. “Goddammit.”

“It’s magic,” Anna said softly and shivered, curling back into May as she moved to stand behind her. “So much magic. But why cover the city in darkness?”

“I don’t know,” Ben replied slowly, feeling the shudder of dread re-knot itself in his stomach. “But I think we need to get home soon.”

~~~ 

They ended up staying on the Selkies' island for three days while the poultice that the Selkie medic, Simon, had put on May’s arm did its work. The warmth and sunshine seemed to revive Anna and May, who fit in easily with the Selkie staff and the dozens of guests staying at the retreat, learning yoga and meditation or diving and surfing. It only made Ben more antsy, and he tried to busy himself by volunteering for physical labour, working alongside retreat guests and some of the male Selkie to clear driftwood off the beach and chop it into firewood. It helped to wear himself out physically, but at night he slept fitfully, seeing Larry fall to the slaugh over and over, feeling Daniel release their bond. When they were finally onboard the small speedboat headed back towards their island and home it relieved him.

“What are your plans when you get there?” Serra sat in the passenger seat of the boat, watching Anna drive, but turned around to look at him. “The Slaugh will realize that you’re back soon enough. You can’t hide from them.”

“I know.” Ben frowned, shaking his head slowly. “I guess all we can do is hope that they don’t consider us a threat anymore. We’ll keep a low profile, hole up somewhere safe and try to find the rest of our freehold. Make contact with the fae who were outside the freehold the night it was taken and find the ones that we lost.”

She nodded, but her mouth was drawn worriedly. “We’ll keep trying to rouse the mainland freeholds for help for you. But you need to assume that the Slaugh will find out about everything you do. It’s their nature. You can’t hide from them forever.”

“I know,” Ben replied, and gave what he hoped was an encouraging smile. “But I have to find those who are important to me.”

The sky grew darker as they approached the city, the wind cold as it whipped around them, though it seemed to have no effect on the cloud system. Serra dropped them off at one of the city docks, exchanging warm kisses with both of the girls before taking the wheel of the boat and starting off. Ben watched her leave for a moment, feeling somehow more alone than ever, then hailed a cab and bundled the girls inside.

They went to his apartment; Anna and May had stayed at the freehold almost exclusively when they weren’t at Anna’s small cottage outside the city. It had started to drizzle as they moved towards the middle of the city, the cloud cover darkening to send everything into what was almost a false twilight. It should have been drab, but somehow it was strangely eerie, making the hair at the back of Ben’s neck stand on end. He paid the cabby with worn bills from a wallet that had taken forever to dry after their swim the night of the invasion, following Anna and May up the walk to the building, hurrying through the rain. He was so focused on the door that he didn’t notice the small brown bundle of fur until it had darted through the door ahead of him, streaking down the hall and disappearing. They found it waiting at the door to his apartment, a small, bedraggled tawny rabbit in spectacles.

Ben stared. “Kheiron!”

“Shh. Open the door.” The rabbit’s reply was barely above a hiss. Ben pulled the spare house key out of his wallet and unlocked the door, opening it only to have the rabbit disappear inside. Anna and May followed him in quickly, and Ben locked the door behind him, mentally taking stock of the apartment. It was his –Daniel’s and his when they first came to the city, then soon after Larry’s and his, when Daniel had started spending more time with Lord Murdoch than at home. Daniel had set up basic magical protection on the apartment, though, enough for him to know that no-one had been there without permission.

May had grabbed a towel from the kitchen and knelt before Kheiron on the living room carpet, rubbing him down with the towel. Kheiron was a creation of Daniel’s, a chimerical companion created through magic and glamour that rarely left the freehold. Ben dropped to his knees in front of the shivering creature. “Where’s Daniel?”

“With them.” A more noted shudder ran through the rabbit. “He’s safe, but only because they think he’s under their control. You can’t go after him without putting both him and yourself in danger.”

“With them?” Ben shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

“They still have Lord Murdoch,” Kheiron explained. “They’re keeping his mortal body asleep. Daniel doesn’t know why yet. He’s staying with the slaugh until he can find a way out. He wants you to promise to stay away from him, to find Larry and take care of the girls and be safe.”

Ben lifted a hand to his face, running his fingers through his hair wearily. “I don’t understand how he expects me to just sit here and do nothing – “

“He’s lost as much as you have,” Kheiron replied seriously, looking up at him. “Please don’t be angry. He loves you. He wants you to protect you, too. Please consider what he’s asked.”

“I have no choice now, do I?” Ben stood, pulling a jacket from the front closet, heart clenching as it tangled with one of Larry’s and almost pulled it off the hanger. “Stay here if you like. I need to clear my head. I’ll be safe.” And before anyone could argue, he left.

~~~~


	4. Chapter 4

When he’d decided to go back into the freehold, Daniel hadn’t thought about where he might end up or what might happen. It had been strange, when his life was ordinarily so stable, so planned and safe. He’d always been a scholar, displaying a genius level of intelligence from an early age. His parents had doted, giving him access to classes and books while trying not to favor either of their sons over the other. But Ben had always been nothing but fond of his younger brother, doting almost more than his parents, and when Daniel started school two years early it was Ben that looked out for him, walking to school with him and making sure he got to classes safely. He’d been eight and Ben twelve when Ben had fought off the bullies that had targeted him after school for not allowing them to copy his homework, and that was the first time in this lifetime that he’d seen his brother’s true self. He remembered Ben, so much taller now, dropping to his knees in front of him and reaching up almost wonderingly to touch the side of his face.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, almost wonderingly. “You’re perfect.”

“So are you,” Daniel replied, and meant it, enthralled by the ink that branded his brother’s now blue skin in a warrior’s whorls, his strength, and the tiny horns on his forehead at his hairline. It was somehow perfectly the Ben that he’d known all of his life. Everything was somehow so familiar, and it felt somehow like his life hadn’t been entirely real until this point.

“We’ve done this before,” Ben said slowly, hand still on his shoulder, eyes searching his face. “I know we have. I’m here to protect you. I promised to always protect you.”

The words made Daniel feel warm right down to his toes, and though the idea of this went against every logical piece of learning he knew, he could feel that it was the truth.

They started to remember more later, bits and pieces, flashes of old lifetimes together that they shared only with each other, whispered under the blankets in Ben’s bed when Daniel snuck in to talk with him late at night. Occasionally the same, but more often different, tiny, significant pieces of a history that went back forever. But they both remembered the oath, far before man’s invention of machines, before Christianity swept the land, when faeries were loved and feared and worshipped by mankind. Daniel remembered his brother kneeling at his feet in a clearing lit by moonlight, clad in ancient armor, with only the beginnings of his tattoos on his broad shoulders.

“You’ve served me well,” he’d said, laying a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve fought for me and at my side, and protected me faithfully far beyond the call of duty. You’ve been my constant companion and my greatest friend, and the love I bear you is greater than anything in the world. Anything that you desire that is within my power is yours.”

Ben had been silent for a long moment before reaching up to cover Daniel’s hand with his own. “Let me be adopted into House Liam. I don’t want anything but to continue to be by your side, and protecting you has made me stronger than I could have ever been alone. Let me be your oath sworn companion and protector throughout all of existence.”

Daniel often wondered if either of them had understood what it had meant, when Ben had made that oath, when Daniel had accepted it. How could they have imagined what the future would be like for faery kind? Those days were ideal, with glamour pure and easy to obtain, long before mortals started to turn from glamour to religion and industrialism, before the head of House Liam fell from grace and left his household outcast, long before banality forced them to hide in mortal shells over and over.

There were other things Daniel remembered, flashes that he didn’t mention to his older brother. Ben was always at his side, always the same: a strong, blond, beautiful and fiercely protective man regardless of what status they were born into. It was Daniel that changed more often than not, his fae soul seeming less exact in its requirements as long as he was near Ben. Sometimes he was rich, sometimes poor, once the squire to Ben’s knight, once the daughter of a rich merchant, once the scullery maid in Ben’s father’s household. And regardless of status or gender, there were always flashes of memory where their bodies entwined, where Ben kissed him warm and slow and deep, eclipsing every outside thought from his mind. No matter the lives or gender they always seemed to fit together perfectly, taking pleasure and comfort in each other, intimacy only cementing their bond even more.

In this life, they’d been found not long after their awakening. There was a grumpy old Nocker named Shintaro that ran an extra-curricular science program at Ben’s middle school who discovered the young troll; it was easy enough to enroll Daniel as well, and gain two afternoons a week free to interact with the world of the fae. They were introduced to the city’s large freehold, which was run by a aging House Gwydion Sidhe named Duke Richard. Duke Richard was kind and welcoming and more than noble enough to meet with Ben’s approval, and that was enough to call the freehold home despite the mix of curiosity and disdain from the lesser nobles that lived there. Most Sidhe were only one life away from Arcadia: the paths had opened briefly, brilliantly, long enough for the fae Nobility to return to the human world (or, as the whispers claimed, be cast out of Arcadia as exiles) , thrown into mortal shells often without choice. They still remembered Arcadia through this violent rebirth, and Daniel was an oddity in their world. Few Sidhe had stayed behind when the others originally fled to Arcadia, and most of those who did were of Daniel’s house; fewer still had chosen to undergo the cycle of rebirth with the other kith rather than locking themselves away in a freehold to eventual madness. Daniel was a curiosity, a newly awakened fae with numerous human lifetimes behind him. On top of that, he showed no interest in claiming the nobility his lineage granted him, happy in his scholarly pursuit of knowledge and history instead.

Duke Richard himself took Daniel as an apprentice, happy for a foundling who would give no competition for a position as heir like his previous three foundlings, already grown. Daniel took to magic with expert skill, just as Ben took to all weapons under his own mentor, and they grew up peaceful and happy, lives uneventful until shortly after Daniel’s twentieth Birthday. He’d had a few suitors and a few more casual dalliances among the fae in the freehold – with Satyrs in residence, how could one escape them? – but nothing had proved serious or long term. His suitors seemed to lose interest puzzlingly quickly, and the dalliances never wanted anything more than that. It was strange and a little heartbreaking, and more than one breakup left him in Ben’s arms in quiet tears with his brother promising vengeance if Daniel but said the word.

The reason behind it, he finally found out, was more than a little disturbing. A small Slaugh girl had approached him in the library one day, promising to share a very valuable secret with him in exchange for a bit of magic work. She whispered to him a tale of the King’s second youngest foundling, Lord Thomas, a Sidhe who had developed little drive for learning magic but much for the throne. She’d seen Thomas talking to two of Daniel’s suitors on separate occasions, threatening one and bribing the other to leave him, calling Daniel his property. Blood boiling with the wrath of a young lover scorned, Daniel confronted him only to have his foster brother attempt to force himself on the younger Sidhe, employing dark magics stronger than any Daniel had known him capable of. Ben, waiting outside the apartments, was forced to break down the doors, battling heatedly with the young noble and suffering several wounds. He’d thought he was almost fallen when Daniel, finally managing to break free of his restraints, threw a spell at Thomas that had knocked him across the room and into Ben’s hastily raised blade.

It had broken Duke Richard’s heart.

“I can’t allow you to stay here,” he’d said, after directing a few members of his guard to return the now merely human Thomas to the mortal world. “I don’t hold either of you at fault for this, and though I love Daniel as much as all of my other children, you’ve still raised a weapon against your family. Thomas was well liked, and it will be dangerous for you both to stay. You can stay here until the end of the week. I’ll find someplace safe for you to go.”

That night Daniel tended to his brother’s wounds with magic and love both, cleaning and bandaging and murmuring spells from his notebook of neatly handwritten notes to speed the healing. “I couldn’t let him take you from me,” he’d whispered, and though what had followed was something that neither of them would ever admit to, Daniel didn’t regret one instant of it.

One week later they were on their way north to Canada. There was a small freehold on the west coast, Duke Richard had told them, held by an allied Lord. It had once belonged to House Liam noble who had gone insane in the dreaming, and as such the entrance to the Trod that the freehold guarded was enchanted to only be accessible when opened by two members of House Liam, each with a different key. He pressed one into Daniel’s hand. “Lord Murdoch is of common kith but noble heart. His father was a close friend of mine. He is trustworthy and will treat you well, and the two of you will be safe there.”

It was sobering, but at the same time it felt like they were finally growing up. Daniel secured a job in the mortal world doing research in musical therapy, and soon after their arrival friends in the freehold helped Ben get a job with one of the city ice rinks, helping classes of children learn to skate and play hockey throughout the day, and they settled down both in the new city and the new freehold surprisingly easily.

Most importantly, it’s where he’d first met John.

Lord Murdoch was nothing of what he’d expected; Daniel had met many other titled nobles and several freehold heads, including a few titled commoners, but never anyone like John. He was beautiful, tall and regal, with piercing green cat-slit eyes and a pair of small dark furred cat ears half hidden among the wild curls of his hair. He’d risen slowly from his chair in the great hall when Ben and Daniel had been shown in to see him, watching them approach, transfixed, lips parting slightly.

Watching Daniel.

It was hard to describe what it felt like to be the sole focus of John Murdoch’s attention. There was a beautiful force to his intensity that was almost overwhelming. He cut a dashing figure on top of it, clad in a black velvet and taffeta smoking jacket and knee high black riding boots. He approached them slowly, still holding Daniel’s gaze, sinuous black tail swishing back and forth behind him. Then he seemed to catch himself, and the intensity broke to a wide grin. “So you’ve run away to join my circus, have you? I wasn’t expecting such magnificent specimens of both your kiths. Which is a shame because usually new circus crew gets put to work cleaning up after the animals. You’re both far too pretty. I’ll have to find something else for you to do. I don’t suppose either of you have skill with the high wire?”

Daniel glanced to his brother to find him looking a little confused and rather more alarmed. He gave the slightest shrug before turning back to John. “I’m sorry, Lord Murdoch – “

“No? Pity. Well, in any case, come look pretty at my dinner table.” He turned for the door at the back of the hall before either could answer, leaving them nothing to do but follow. There was a tall, auburn haired Satyr with a generous mouth and fur to match his hair standing guard at the doorway, and he gave them both a friendly smile.

“Gentlemen, this is Larry Byrne, head of my personal guard. He’s a pervert. Larry, our strongman is Ben Carson of House Liam, and his exquisite companion is his brother Daniel.”

“I’m the only member of your personal guard,” Larry replied with a smirk, offering his hand to both of them. “Pleased to meet you.” He’d stuck with them as they were taken into the dining area and taken through a round of introductions to fae of all kiths, including to a young teenaged girl John introduced affectionately as the brat. Larry reintroduced her as Lady Anna, John’s younger sister, a Selkie just come into her seal skin.

“He’s not crazy, you know,” Larry remarked at some point during the meal when John was distracted by another Pooka. “He’s just eccentric. Perfectly grounded in both reality and the dreaming, and he does try to be proper despite being a Pooka. But he gets more eccentric when he gets excited or is trying to impress someone. Or both. But his father taught him well. He is a very good lord, and he makes a good freehold.”

The freehold itself wore the mortal disguise of a small, run-down office building, dirty and unwanted on the outside. Inside was another story. The freehold was huge, located more in the dreaming than the mortal world. At first glance it was a picture of elegance, of baroque-influenced finery, of marble floors and tapestries and gilt-edged paintings. But upon closer look, it was apparent that the freehold reflected its Lord, as freeholds always did, and things were often… not quite right. Figures in paintings had unexpected Humphry Bogart glasses – complete with fake nose and moustache. Tables had one leg replaced by a colourful, thick candy cane. Daniel even saw a chandelier that appeared to be a large, living rhubarb plant, tiny lights hanging from its wide leaves. All the spiral staircases were equipped with a fireman’s pole down the center of them and a soft cushion at the bottom – two even had multi-coloured ball pits. All the other staircases came with wide, flat banisters that Daniel quickly learned were slid down on a regular basis.

“It’s refreshing,” he replied quietly that first night, realizing the truth of the words as he said them. “I’ve had my fill of seriousness. I like it here.”

Larry looked amused. “Even with all the quirks of the architecture?”

“Especially all the quirks,” Daniel replied, smiling at Ben’s quiet chuckle. “It makes things less boring.”

“I suppose it does, as long as it’s not too shocking. Wait until you see the fucking gargoyles,” Larry replied with a wink.

John had touched his arm as dinner was being cleared away. “Will you come for a walk with me in my garden, beautiful Daniel? I promise to be a very good kitty and not a big bad wolf.”

The sweet eagerness had left Daniel feeling unexpectedly warm inside, and he accepted, resting his hand on John’s arm when it was offered and following him through the building and out into an enclosed courtyard lush with greenery, the stars overhead a beautiful kaleidoscope of light and colour. They’d stopped beside a marble fountain with strange silver fish with whiskers and cat ears swimming in it. “I’ve been thinking throughout dinner,” John started, then flashed him a grin. “I know you wouldn’t think it, but I do think quite often. If you like it here enough to stay, would you be interested in accepting a position as my master librarian? The freehold’s library is in horrible disorder, books all over the place. I think someone hot-boxed the place once and got them all high, so they all traded places and had a great big orgy. I definitely need someone to put things to right and make sure they don’t do it again.”

It was probably the most tempting thing that John could have offered him. “Are they really so bad, or did Duke Richard tell you about my secret weakness?”

“You have a weakness?” John asked back with an innocent smile. “And here you tricked me into thinking you were perfect.”

Daniel flushed despite himself. “Lord Murdoch….”

“Call me John,” John had replied, turning to face him, and suddenly all the intensity from before was back. He lifted a hand to stroke the backs of his fingers along Daniel’s jaw, green eyes adoring. “I know Duke Richard told me that you care nothing for titles. But I hope that doesn’t extend to people with titles. Or perhaps titles that might coincidentally come to you through being with people with titles.”

“Of course not,” he’d managed to reply, heart pounding hard enough in his chest that he was sure that John must be able to hear it.

“Good,” John replied softly, lips widening just a little into a smile more real and sweet than anything Daniel had seen through the manic joy of dinner. “Because I like you. Very much.”

His lips, when they found Daniel’s, were warm and adoring, pressing softly to his, then a little more warmly when Daniel yielded to his kiss with a soft whimper. His fingers stroked up into his hair to trace slow circles at the back as he drew him closer, fingernails just a little sharp when they brushed against his skin, sending shivers down his spine. He let himself return John’s embrace, stroking hands up over his shoulders, one stroking through his dark curls to tease the base of one furred ear. It made John moan unexpectedly, pulling him closer with his free arm tight around Daniel’s waist, tongue pressing past lips that parted eagerly to taste him, hot and wet and tasting of the spiced wine they’d had with dinner, with just a hint of roughness that made Daniel think naughty thoughts indeed.

He forced himself to pull back when John moved to kiss along his jaw, one hand on his chest to hold him back without pulling away. “John, I… I’m not certain I’m ready for this quite yet.”

Green eyes regarded him with warm contentment. “I can take you on a date first. But I promise you won’t regret coming to bed with me.”

“I don’t imagine I will. I just… recently was involved in a very bad situation that it seems Duke Richard didn’t tell you about.” He stopped, trying to find the words under John’s open, slightly curious gaze, and forced himself to look away. “My foundling brother tried to rape me. Ben and I were forced to kill him. It’s why I had to leave.”

John leaned in to press a soft kiss under his ear, voice warm. “Well, I very much want you to stay, so I promise not to let anyone hurt you. Including myself. Unless you decide you’re into kinky role play. And we can date for as long as you like while you decide whether or not you want to be with me. Because I think you’re beautiful and sweet and completely alluring and I very much want to be with you.”

The warmth in his words left Daniel breathless, and he let himself embrace the other fae again, closing his eyes. “I think I’d like that very much,” he replied. Before he could say anything else he heard a rather carnal sounding moan from above him and pulled back, startled. “What was that?”

“The fucking gargoyles,” John replied with a grin, indicating upwards towards the roof, where he could just see two stone coloured shapes in the darkness, engaged in what did indeed seem to be coitus. “They guard the roof,” John continued, as if this was a normal, everyday thing. “Or at least they’re supposed to. Come on, let me show you the rest of the freehold.”

Now Daniel found himself wondering what had happened to the gargoyles as he limped alone down the darkened halls of the freehold. It was difficult for him to see the place that had once been so bright and vibrant and warm turned to darkness and shadow. John had been the lord and life of this place; with the slaugh here everything became as they wanted it.

When they’d taken the freehold he’d used the seer glass on the inside of his pocket watch to monitor not the stairway to the trod like Ben had asked him to, but the freehold itself. He’d seen John fall to be carried away by the Slaugh and realized that he couldn’t abandon him. He’d managed to leave the trod before Anna and May had arrived, using a spell to open one of the decoy doors – which turned out to be a broom closet of all things – and secreting himself inside. He watched in the seer glass as his brother fled back to the trod, frantically searching for him, and realized with a sinking heart that Ben would never be safe as long as his oath was intact.

Heart aching, Daniel closed his eyes and gathered magic around him, breaking the bond that had guarded him since birth. Since long before his birth to this mortal shell. _’Ben, brother and protector. I release you from your charge.’_

For a long moment he stayed hidden in the closet, just watching Ben through the window of the seer glass, heart aching at his grief. He watched Anna and May rouse him finally, watched them start on their journey through the dreaming, safely away. Then he closed the cover of his watch, tucking it away in his vest pocket, and took stock.

He had a few resources at his disposal, but not many. The ring key to the trod he took off and tucked away in the crevice above the door frame. It was useless without Ben’s pair, anyway, and it would be safer there. Safer if the Slaugh didn’t know the combination to open the trod. He doubted there were any Slaugh from his household in the mass that had taken over; Slaugh were for Slaugh, and preferred to be behind the scenes in the games of politics rather than directly involved in a noble household. But the possibility was always there, and he didn’t like to think about what would happen if they gained access to the trod. He imagined whole armies of Unseelie fae, traveling quietly through the dreaming along the trod, undetectable, taking other freeholds without warning like they’d taken theirs. Was that their plan, or would they be content with just this freehold? It was too terrible to think about.

He had the seer glass, of course, and he could use that to watch the freehold, to help him avoid detection. But sooner or later they’d find him. Perhaps it was better to take a more direct approach.

Daniel used the seer glass to look throughout the freehold once again, taking note of where there were Slaugh gathered and what they were doing. The victims of the freehold were being moved to the outside, some loaded into vans, others propped up against buildings like vagrants. He knew that the Slaugh wouldn’t try to actually kill their mortal shells; the consequence of truly killing another fae was an outpouring of banality that generally killed the murderer, or at least left them useless to magic for the rest of their life.

John, though, John was carried to one of the halls they’d once used for feasts and dancing, laid out on a table like some kind of sacrifice. Daniel could see lips moving, sense the magic being used, but couldn’t make out to what end. Tucking the watch away and gathering his courage, he left his hiding place and returned to the freehold.

The Slaugh were still working when he entered the hall where they’d laid out John. He could feel the glamour that their spells were pulling from the freehold, magic wrapping around John like a cocoon. The Slaugh were aware of him – he hadn’t hoped to hide from them – but watched him enter quietly, almost curiously.

“You’ve done me a great favor,” Daniel spoke, keeping his voice calm and even. “I’d like to join forces with you.”

One of the Slaugh moved towards him from the end of the table, looking him over slowly, almost analytically. When he spoke his voice was little louder than the Slaugh’s mandated whispers, but at the same time somehow commanded attention. “The noble asks to join with us. This is rather suspicious, yes? Tell us why we should not kill you know as we have the others. And tell us of this favor we have supposedly done for you.”

Daniel held his gaze calmly. “This freehold belonged to my household. The Murdochs stole it. I’ve wanted them out of the picture for quite some time, but I lacked the… allied strength to make it happen, shall we say.”

“We know you were his consort,” the Slaugh replied, “We think this is just a ploy to remain near him, yes? To try and rescue him when we are not paying attention.”

“Sometimes the most advantageous position to take with ones enemy is in their bed,” Daniel replied calmly. “And as for why I’m a valuable asset, I’ll put forward the notion that even with your love of secrets and shadows you have not had the opportunity to completely understand this freehold as I do – or its library. I know the information stored there better than anyone alive or dead. I’ve spent ten years in its study. And if you tell me that my knowledge and information is not useful to you then you’ll be lying.”

The Slaugh in front of him glanced to the others, vocalizing in strange clicks and breathy whirrs, a strange, inorganic language that Daniel had never heard or heard of before. Two of them approached from one side of the room carrying a heavy chest between the two of them, and the Slaugh that had spoken with Daniel acknowledged them with a nod.

“We are willing to believe you enough to consider your fate with the consensus,” he said. “You can call me… Mr. Hand. And what should we call you, noble?”

The word sounded almost shaming on Mr. Hand’s lips, a mockery of Daniel’s kith. He ignored it. “You may call me Doctor Schreber.” Too horrible, the thought of hearing his real name on these creature’s lips day after day. Easier to steal his mother’s maiden name, which he used as a pseudonym in scientific publishing. It was familiar enough to him to take it as his name with these creatures.

“Well then, Doctor Schreber. We will decide your fate.” Mr. Hand gave a nod to the two, who opened the chest between them. Daniel resisted the urge to shrink back automatically, feeling a wave of abject terror wash through him. The chest held a simple pair of manacles with no chain between them, but they were made of cold iron, which was deadly to fae and made them a far more effective restraint than simple handcuffs.

Daniel stared at them, resisting the urge to draw back. “You cannot seriously intend to make me wear those….”

Mr. Hand pulled on a pair of black leather gloves to pick them up and raised an eyebrow at Daniel’s obvious discomfort. “You can’t expect we would let you roam our freehold unhindered, yes? We’re aware of your learning and your skill, we’re aware of your abilities with magic. As long as you don’t allow them to touch your skin you should be completely fine, Doctor Schreber.” He held up one manacle expectantly.

Taking a slow breath to calm the fear that made his stomach churn, Daniel pulled the sleeve of his coat down securely and held out one arm, feeling a cold, uncomfortable shudder run down his spine as Mr. Hand fastened the iron securely around his wrist, carefully turning his suit sleeve over the end. It felt like an itch inside of his bones, a heaviness, a stress that started to form into a headache at the base of his skull, and the second manacle didn’t make it any better. Still, even he had to admit that it was a necessity, and he grit his teeth and tried to ignore the headache as he followed Mr. Hand and a group of the Slaugh out of the room and away from John.

When they reached the main hall it was like entering a completely different world. Gone were the trappings of courtly life that Daniel had become so familiar with: the tapestries and flags and paintings and the Lord’s chair. Even the shape of the room had altered itself a little. The room they stood in now reminded him a little of a Roman coliseum, circular with raised tiers in steps up from the center point. A few Slaugh stood there now, and as he waited, more and more filed in to take up every tier. At least 50, he realized, which wouldn’t even include any of those who were killed in battle.

Standing in the center of the area Daniel could immediately see the benefit of the setup. The air around him was filled with the Slaugh’s whispers and the strange, clicking code language that Mr.Hand had used. The formation somehow amplified the sound so that he didn’t have to strain to hear them like one often had to do with Slaugh. He tried to make sense of what they were saying, but individual conversations fell victim to the mess of whispered noise, and he could only pick out words here and there – traitor, dishonest, distrust.

“So it seems we have an unexpected ally.” The voice behind him was stronger and clearer than any Slaugh he’d ever heard, deep and thick with power. Daniel whirled around in surprise to see an elderly Slaugh standing at the entrance to the area, regarding him. It would have been easy to tell that he was the leader of this organization just for the way that the other Slaugh immediately fell silent and deferred to him, but there was more beyond that. Daniel could tell, just through his familiarity with magic, how strong, how successful and in command of magic this fae actually was. Definitely a match for Daniel, though he could see now their wisdom in putting the restraints on him. He could access very little magic like this, and knew that any attempt to use glamour to cast a spell would make it rebound back onto himself and leave him in a very sorry state indeed. Still, he was almost tempted to try. If he could take out this leader, perhaps this whole organization would fall apart….

“Mr. Book.” Mr. Hand bowed deep. “This is Doctor Schreber, our fallen Lord’s Sidhe lover. He claims he can be of use to us and wishes to be our ally. He claims mastery of the library and of the freehold. Shall we take him at his word?”

The old Slaugh moved slowly, circling Daniel as whispers once again filled the air. “He is a strong magician, it is true. We are not certain we can trust a turncoat not to do the same to us, however. But perhaps there is a way around that….”

He stepped forward without warning, catching Daniel’s face between his hands as pain lanced through his body. Eyes so blue they were almost white held his gaze, commanding, as the Slaugh whispered a fury of magic, words that cut into his skin and his mind. A coercion spell, Daniel realized quickly, just barely able to access the old disciplines he’d learned in secret from Duke Richard in order to ward against such an effort. Then something hard was pressed against his right temple, sharp, biting into his flesh underneath the arm of his wire-rimmed glasses and sliding under his skin, and it took a moment of agony to realize that the screaming that was ringing in his ears was coming from his own throat.

He half collapsed as Mr. Book released him, landing heavily on his knees on the hard stone floor and just barely remembering not to bring his manacled arms up to his face. His vision spun and blurred and his head pounded, and he could feel a trickle of blood seeping from whatever it was they’d done to his head….

“I’ve implanted a control gem in our good Doctor’s skin,” Mr. Book said plainly. “He will not be a risk. Remove the manacles from his arms, but fit him with an anklet instead. Easier that way to keep track of him and ensure he is obedient.”

And just like that, whether or not the Slaugh actually trusted him, Daniel was trapped on the inside.

The anklet was a hard iron ring in a cotton sheath to keep it from touch and burning his skin. It had stayed on for every moment of every day ever since, providing a constant ache in the back of his skull and in the bones of that leg. It became less responsive than the other, left him with a limping drag of a gait. But he was still here, he was still near John. It was worth it, wasn’t it?

~~~


	5. Chapter 5

The Slaugh had watched him closely for the first 24 hours, and then finally allowed him to sleep in a little room just off the library. It was dark and damp and cold like the rest of the building, and it seeped into his bones, making them ache even more. Still, he was finally able to find his Chimera, Kheiron here, giving him the knowledge of his choice and what he’d done and why, and what he needed Kheiron to do before setting the little rabbit free to go find his brother.

Whenever he was awake he traveled slowly through the freehold, watching the Slaugh, trying to understand what they were doing and why they’d targeted the freehold. But even when he could make out their whispers, the troubling words made little sense. Something about a nightmare machine. They left John alone, but in stasis, and a few times Daniel indulged himself in staying near the sleeping fae, exploring the magics that held him unconscious with his mind, trying to figure out if there were any way to break them. But even if he could, what would be the point? John would wake up as a mere human, unable to help him fight their captors in any way. It would just put him in danger.

For the first time in as long as Daniel could remember, he was truly, completely alone.

He found out what the Slaugh were up to all too soon. He’d begun to feel a low level of glamour generated by the city beyond the freehold: a kind of restless, uneasy glamour, like the kind of dreams generated from exhaustion where the subconscious spent its dreaming running through endless halls of grey. When he was able to slip through the doors of the freehold to look outside he found the city dark in the middle of the day, shadowed by heavy, low hanging clouds that blocked out almost all of the sun and dropped a constant drizzle onto the city.

“What on earth are you doing?” He asked aloud, but the Slaugh that guarded the doors said nothing in reply to him, letting him go back inside.

Then he heard the screams.

The rest of the Slaugh were gathered in the former great hall, the rounded, tiered room they referred to as the Consensus. Row upon row of Slaugh stood on the tiers of the Consensus and in the aisles that lead to the center. Surely every one in the building had gathered there, and they filled the room, blocking his view so that he couldn’t see past them to understand the source of the broken, sobbing screams. He quickly climbed the stairs to the second floor to peek in, keeping himself hidden in the shadows, and immediately felt his stomach turn.

In the center of the area was a mortal woman, naked, strung up and bound to a strange metal contraption that looked half like a wheel, half like a medieval torture rack. It wasn’t an inaccurate comparison. The Slaugh who had called himself Mr. Hand stood in the center with her, and as Daniel watched, he lifted his deadly, spring-loaded blade and began to slowly carve yet another spiral into her skin, the blade sliding through her skin like a hot knife through butter, parting the flesh and leaving a ribbon of red behind, blood that slowly trickled down her skin. Through all of this the woman shuddered and screamed in pain, sobbing, gasping helpless pleas for mercy.

Daniel lurched from the room, barely making it down the hall to a powder room before being violently ill, body shaking and sweating and weak, and for a long time he stayed, curled around the toilet, trying to get his bearings and wondering what the hell he’d gotten himself involved in.

They were bleeding her of glamour, he realized quickly. Ravishing her, invoking a state so terrified that her mind would interpret it as the worst kind of nightmare. It was fast and efficient and generated a lot of magic, but the mortal was left broken, often mentally damaged, too cut off from mortal reality to ever dream again.

Seelie fae abhorred it; the very concept had always made Daniel’s skin crawl, and he hadn’t needed Duke Richard’s lesson in caution about it. Even in desperate situations he was warned never to give in to the temptation to ravage a human. It was addicting, and the rush of power could corrupt even the best intentions and turn the purest Seelie fae to darkness. Mortals were to be honored, protected and revered. A mortal’s ability to dream was never to be taken for granted, and the glamour they produced was to be warmly encouraged instead of ripped away from them, building the mortal’s ability to dream for ages instead of bleeding them dry.

He found the girl later, locked away in a tiny cell in a level of the freehold under the earth. She was still naked, huddled in a ball in the corner, sobbing softly, not quite broken yet but fraught with despair. Her skin didn’t bear any of the mutilation Daniel had seen the Strangers carving into her, though, and he realized they must have enchanted her just enough to feel the bite of the magical weapons. They could use her again, then, torture her over and over until spirit broke and there was no glamour left to be wrung from her terrified mind.

The air was heavy with the shivery dark feeling of nightmare-glamour, and Daniel shuddered, trying to mentally block himself off from it. His own personal reserves of magic were still strong, and he could still tap into the natural glamour produced by the freehold if he needed – hopefully more easily than the Slaugh.

“Hey. Help us. Please help us.” The soft whimper that reached his ears tore him away from the crying girl, and through the cold, shuddery glamour of fear he felt a soft spark of hope. There were other cells lining the hallway, and he could see the pale face of a girl peeking through the bars of the one next to her. He moved to her, examining the setup of the cells as he did. There were narrow slits in the stone walls at the tops of the cells that allowed sight from one cell to the other, and he could see a glimpse of another woman looking through from the third cell into this one.

“How long have you been here?” he asked the second girl, who shivered and shook her head. She was blonde as well, slight and beautiful like the first girl had been.

“I don’t know. The light never changes, I don’t know how many days have passed. Michelle was already here when they threw me in this cage. They locked me in here, and then a little while later they brought Samantha.” She choked back a terrified sob. “Then they raped Michelle, five of them, over and over. I couldn’t block it out, I couldn’t plug my ears against her screams. Then took her away, and when they brought her back she couldn’t talk anymore. I know they’re going to do the same to us. You have to help us.” Her voice broke on sobs, and she made no attempt to wipe away the tears that slid down her mascara streaked cheeks. She was wearing a little black sequined dress, and a pair of broken high heels were abandoned on the floor behind her – perhaps the Slaugh had taken her from one of the city’s night clubs?

“Please help us,” the girl sobbed again, fingers clenched hard at the bars. “I know you’re not one of those crazy goth skinheads, I know it. Let us go, please let us go home. I just want to go home.”

Daniel covered her hands on the bars with his own, finding them icy cold under his skin. They must be freezing down here, the stone cold and damp and no blankets or anything of comfort in the cells to help shield them against the cold. “I don’t know if I can,” he replied truthfully, and his words made her sob harder. Feeling helpless to do anything, he finally stepped back and slipped out of his coat, starting to push it through one of the gaps between the bars. “Here – take this at least. It’ll help you keep warm. Please.” The third girl, the one named Samantha was wearing a little more – skinny jeans and knee high boots with a long, belted tunic with no sleeves. Still, he unbuttoned his sleek wool vest for her, taking off his pocket watch and tucking it safely in the pocket of his slacks before passing the vest through the cell bars as well. “Take this, please. Use it to help you stay warm. I’ll come back with more. I’ll try to help you.” Perhaps it was possible. Perhaps he could somehow sneak them out of the freehold….

“Doctor Schreber. We hope you are not interfering with our honored guests. It would make us very, very unhappy, yes?” Mr. Hand stood at the end of the hallway, voice low and cold and louder than Daniel had ever heard him speak before, as if the influx of glamour they were creating was giving him the ability to speak past a Slaugh’s whisper.

Daniel stepped back slowly from the door of the cell, heart pounding audibly in his chest. “Why are you doing this? You can’t keep them here like this. You can’t do this to them.”

The slightly superior look that Mr. Hand always seemed to have on his face changed to a slight smile, smug and dark. “It’s amusing how you think you can make demands, Doctor. We hope we do not have to remind you that though you claim to desire to be our ally, you are still here by our grace. If we were to think that you were somehow trying to sabotage our efforts the consequences for you could very well be rather… unpleasant, yes?”

Daniel froze, mind racing, taking a moment to reply. “… of course. Forgive me, Mr. Hand. But I hope you will allow me to question your methods and intentions. Surely it would be within your best interests to keep this city’s supply of glamour sustainable – “

“We care not for this city,” Mr. Hand cut him off, voice cold. “It’s ours, we control it. We will do what we see fit with it and use its resources to our own ends. We warn you not to stand in our way, Doctor. Now you will come with me, yes? Mr. Book will see you now.”

Daniel cast one more glance at the frightened girls before starting after Mr. Hand. There was a small hook on the wall that he hadn’t noticed before that held a ring of keys, and he tried not to pay attention to it, instead filing the knowledge away in the back of his mind. He couldn’t let the girls go, he knew that now. They would suspect him in an instant. But perhaps there was some comfort he could give them, some way to ease their pain….

Mr. Hand took him back to the Consensus where a number of Slaugh were still gathered, whispering quietly to each other. There was no sign of the torture wheel he’d seen when they’d had the girl in there, but it didn’t reassure him. The Slaugh controlled the freehold now; it would take little glamour for them to make such a minor change to its structure.

Mr. Book had been waiting, and he stepped forward as Daniel followed Mr. Hand into the center of the Consensus. “How good of you to join us, Doctor. We believe it is time for you to prove your worth to us, yes? We are aware that this freehold has a very valuable treasure housed inside. There is a path to the Dreaming, a Trod that we can use to connect to many other freeholds throughout the world. Do you deny this?”

The trod. Daniel’s pulse began to race, along with his thoughts, through the possibilities. Was this why they’d targeted the freehold? Was gaining access to the trod their master plan? The Dreaming was dangerous, yes, but the silver trods that wound their way through it gave access to fae to travel great distances without detection. He immediately imagined hordes of Slaugh, corrupt and powerful and drunk on nightmare glamour travelling through the Dreaming as an army to attack another freehold, to gain control of city after city.

“I have heard of such a thing,” he replied carefully, trying to appear thoughtful rather than panicked. “Lord Murdoch spoke to me of it. I know where the door to it lies. But I have never seen it opened with my own eyes.”

Mr. Book’s expression didn’t change, though it seemed that Mr. Hand’s eyes narrowed slightly. Mr. Book continued to gaze at him, unblinking. “So you deny that you know how to gain access to it. You never had any interest in utilizing it for yourself? You say you remained here out of a desire to reassert your household’s claim on this freehold, yet you never tried to exploit its most valuable resource?”

“Forgive me, Mr. Book, but you misunderstand me.” Daniel swallowed hard, fighting to slow his heart rate, to control his breath. “I sought to gain Lord Murdoch’s trust for that very end. I let him bed me in hopes of gaining that secret.”

“And yet you were unsuccessful? Perhaps you are not as useful to us as you claim.”

“I was never completely successful,” Daniel replied, realizing that he’d have to give them something to maintain their faith in him, to keep his place secure. To stay safe. “If you must know, your invasion of this freehold could not have come at a more inopportune time. I had convinced Lord Murdoch to show me the Dreaming in two days time in order to learn from him how to open the Trod.”

“Nearly does not count for anything, Doctor.” Mr. Hand spoke this time, voice cold and angry. “It’s clear that you’ve only lied to us and wasted our time.”

“I certainly have not wasted your time,” Daniel shot back, forcing anger to cover his nerves. “But tell me why I should give you what I know when all you have done is harass and dismiss me.”

Immediately Mr. Book’s eyes narrowed, and Daniel felt pain lance through him from the gem they’d implanted under his skin. He threw a hand up to the scabbed wound to press hard against it to try to and stop the pain, feeling the gem moving under his skin, slicing the skin open fresh, blood trickling through the re-opened wound and down the side of his face as a cry of pain escaped his throat. Then it stopped as soon as it started, the pain fading to residual throbs of heat and the sting of an open wound. He kept his hand pressed to it, trying to stop the bleeding, the arm of his glasses digging into his skin.

“You are in no position to be trying to make a bargain with us, Doctor. But we will tell you the consequences of disobedience, in any case. Help us willingly and we will give you full control of the freehold when we leave this city, as well as your life spared. Refuse to help us or disobey us and we will force you to help us anyway, torture you and kill you like we have the rest of this freehold. Understand?”

“Yes,” Daniel gasped, still hunched over in pain, reaching up with his trembling free hand to wipe away a trickle of blood that threatened to drip into his eye. “Yes, I understand perfectly, Mr. Book.”

“Good. Now, tell us everything you know about the trod and how to gain access to it.”

Daniel swallowed hard. “The trod was originally controlled by my household, and I hoped that my bloodline would help me gain control over it without alerting Lord Murdoch. However the door to the trod was locked with strong magics that I couldn’t break. It requires two keys to open as well as a spell. I can give you the first key and take you to the door itself. Lord Murdoch never revealed the location of the second key or the spell to me.”

The air around him filled with the strange clicks and whirrs of the Slaugh’s secret language as they conversed with each other, though Mr. Book stood silent throughout all of it. Finally he held up a hand, and the others fell to silence immediately.

“We are willing to believe your words,” he replied clearly. “Provide us with the key and take us to the door itself. Prove that you speak the truth.”

Daniel nodded, forcing himself to turn and leave from the room with a steady gait despite the pain in his leg and the hand he kept pressed hard to the wound on his forehead. He was aware of several others, including Mr. Hand and Mr. Book, following behind him as he moved through the freehold, but he forced himself to keep his gaze focused ahead of him coolly, not acknowledging their presence or turning back to look. He travelled through the courtyard outside of his library, the plants now dead and the fountain cracked and try, and through the one place that had retained some semblance of home, the books around him calming and reassuring him just a little. Though the appearance of the freehold had changed greatly, the actual layout was still mostly the same, and Daniel was able to easily find the hallways that lead to the nondescript door that housed the staircase down to the trod. He took the stairs just as calmly as before, leg aching as he forced himself not to limp, travelling down and down until he stood at the bottom.

Mr. Book and Mr. Hand joined him, leaving the dozen other Slaugh to stand along the staircase. They looked over the identical doors set along the walls at regular intervals, dark wood set with shining brass still appearing as they had before the Slaugh had taken over.

“If you would care to tell us what you know, Doctor?” Mr. Book’s voice was deceptively calm.

Daniel took a deep breath and raised a hand to one door. “This door is the gate that opens to the dreaming and the trod. There’s two gears that move to reveal key holes, here – “ he reached out to demonstrate, turning the gear to reveal the lock underneath, “ – and here.” The other lock was just as easy to flip open. “I’ve never seen it opened as I told you, but Lord Murdoch told me that it required two different keys. The one that I know about it is hidden behind that door.” He looked up at Mr. Book calmly, motioning to the door he’d hidden behind on the night that the Freehold had been taken. “If one of you gentlemen would care to open it, I would be most grateful. A simple unlocking spell will open it. I regret that I cannot do it myself, but this pretty bracelet that you have fastened around my ankle is rather… restrictive to my magic.”

“You will have to forgive us for not completely trusting you,” Mr. Hand replied, making no move towards the door. “Open the door yourself. If you take off that pretty silk cravat around your neck and wrap it around the anklet it will allow you to work very simple magics. We trust you will not take advantage of this, yes?”

“I see no need to betray your trust in me after working so hard to rebuild it,” Daniel replied simply, un-knotting the silk scarf around his neck. He bent carefully to wind it around the iron cuff on his ankle, which was just loose enough for him to work the silk between the iron manacle and his leg, wrapping it as best as he could despite his fingers aching from the close proximity to the cold iron. Once he was convinced that it was wrapped as securely and completely as he could manage, he stood up again, holding out a hand towards the door and accessing his personal stores of glamour to whisper the spell the spell that would open it. The iron around his leg heated up painfully, but not unbearably, and though using the magic left him feeling strangely weakened, the door clicked open successfully.

Daniel stepped into the broom closet, resisting the urge to lock himself inside it in the hopes that this nightmare would simply disappear. He made a show of looking through the shelves and behind the cleaning products that were stored there – never used in a freehold that magically maintained itself, of course, though it was a little comforting to be reminded of John’s eccentricities – then checking the crevices in the roughened walls, making a show of searching for the key.

“Are you certain there is a key hidden here?” Mr. Hand asked from outside the closet. “We are dubious as to the appropriateness of the hiding place for such a valuable object. Perhaps Lord Murdoch simply lied to you.”

“I saw him hide it here,” Daniel replied back, fighting the soft anger at the assumption that John would have lied to him about anything and reminding himself that this was all a farce, of course, that he himself had hidden his own key here. Finally he turned to check the door frame, making a soft noise of triumph and pulling down the key, stepping out to offer it to Mr. Book in the palm of his outstretched hand. “Here, just as I told you. It activates by turning the base gear forty-five degrees counter clockwise.”

Mr. Book nodded. Taking the ring from him, he turned the gear to watch the key click open and into place, then turned it back before sliding the ring onto his own finger. “You seem to know a lot about this ring, Doctor.”

“Murdoch said that it was to be mine after we swore the oath of true hearts,” Daniel replied calmly, pushing aside the ache of loss. That, at least, was not a complete lie… John had promised to give him everything once they were married, and only Daniel’s reluctance to take on a title had restrained him from agreeing to the formal oath binding. “For obvious reasons I could not complete the oath when my love for him was a front to regain control of the freehold. But I was able to learn of how it worked and where it was kept. The rest of the solution I am afraid I will have to leave to you, since you so expertly ruined my own plans to obtain it.”

Mr. Book seemed to ignore those last few words, motioning instead to the slaugh that lined the staircase. “We will search the entire freehold for another ring like this. Make sure every inch of it is searched, every drawer, every crevice, every cupboard and closet and behind every door. Mr. Night, Mr. Face, return upstairs and organize the others to begin the search. Ensure that Murdoch’s personage is also searched. The rest of you will stay down here and search behind every door that you can gain access to. We will find the other key.” He turned back to Daniel, regarding him for a moment as if thinking, judging, and then finally speaking. “You have proven your worth and loyalty for the time being, Doctor. Return to your library and do not hinder our search.”

That was an easy request to make. Daniel climbed the stairs quietly after them, holding tightly to the banister to help support himself, each step putting more strain and stress on his injured leg until his whole body shook with the effort of continuing the climb. Still, he managed to keep himself upright, slowly limping down the hallways and back to his library. The familiar surroundings strengthened him a little, and he retreated to the small cubby of a bedroom he’d been allowed to stay in, collapsing onto the bed and letting his exhausted body pass into unconsciousness.

***


	6. Chapter 6

_“I miss you, my love.” The words were soft and warm, the voice familiar, and Daniel relaxed back into the arms that slipped around his waist, closing his eyes at the warm press of a kiss to the side of his neck._

_“I miss you so much,” he whispered, the fear and longing he’d locked away inside him bubbling to the surface at the admission. Tears stung his eyes, and he closed them hard to lock them away, almost afraid to turn to see the man that held him._

_“Shhh…” Soft kisses traveled up the side of his face, pressed to the corner of one eye. “I’m so sorry to leave you to this, my heart. So sorry.”_

_“It’s not your fault.” Daniel turned in the embrace without opening his eyes, burying his face in his lover’s neck and breathing deep of John’s familiar scent, trying to let it calm him, still the trembling that had taken hold of his body. “I chose to stay.”_

_“I wish you were safe,” John murmured with a soft sigh, fingers stroking over his hair and down his back. “I thought Ben would take care of you. The last thing I wanted was for you to end up as their slave.”_

_“I couldn’t leave you,” Daniel whimpered softly, pressing closer and feeling John’s arms tighten around him reassuringly. “I broke my bond with Ben. I couldn’t let him endanger himself trying to get me out of here. I can’t leave. I won’t leave without you. I have to keep you safe, I have to find some way to wake you up….”_

_“Shhh,” John murmured again, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Don’t do anything else to endanger yourself, love. Please. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you. Let the slaugh run their course and leave. We’ll pick up the pieces of the city together afterwards.”_

_“I can’t trust them to leave you unharmed,” Daniel replied, voice shaking. “I can’t sit passively by. Don’t ask me to. I’ve lost everything but you. I won’t let you go.”_

_“Let’s not argue.” John tugged off his glasses carefully, pressing soft kisses to his eyelids. “I’ve been trying to find my way to your dreams for ages. I just want to be with you.”_

_Daniel shivered, turning his face up into his kisses. “You’re unconscious. They killed you, how can you be here? How can you even know me? How can I believe that you’re real?”_

_“You can’t,” John replied softly, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “But I am.” His next kiss claimed Daniel’s mouth, slow and warm, tongue flicking against his lips until Daniel yielded to him with a soft whimper. The familiarity of John’s lips against his own, the pressure and caress of them, the taste of his mouth and the slow but confident claim of his tongue was so real and so perfectly John that Daniel was sobbing softly before he knew it, the stress and fear of everything crashing around him._

_“Shhh,” John whispered softly, kissing his cheeks, lips gentle as they followed the tracks of his tears. “Don’t cry, love. My brave, beautiful love. I’m here. I won’t leave you. Don’t give up. I promise I won’t leave you.”_

_It was easy to lose himself to John’s kisses, to relax into his embrace and let his body remember the reassuring warmth of the desire he’d always felt for this beautiful man. He gave a soft sigh against John’s mouth between kisses, stroking one hand up into his dark curls and melting against him. “Help me forget about everything,” he murmured, free hand finding the buttons of John’s velvet jacket and starting to tug them undone. “Please.”_

_“You know I’d do anything you asked me to,” John murmured in reply, sucking gently on Daniel’s bottom lip as his hands moved to tug open his jacket and vest, stroking over his chest through the fine cotton dress shirt underneath. “And giving you pleasure is the nicest request of all.”_

_It was easy to give himself over to desire and the touch of John’s hands on his body, rousing his passion as he tugged away Daniel’s clothing with practiced ease, fingertips caressing his skin, knowing just how to send shivers of pleasure through him until Daniel was hard and aching. It was just as easy to tug away John’s clothing as well, indulging in the warmth of his skin under his hands and mouth, the pleasure of making John groan in pleasure and grind against him, cock trapped between their bodies with Daniel’s, hard and hot against his own._

_Letting John pull him down into their bed and pin him beneath him, Daniel gave himself over to it completely, rocking up against the reassuring weight of John’s body and wrapping his thighs loosely around his lover’s waist to get closer, breath in soft groans as John rocked against him slowly, the warmth and pressure against his cock delicious and intoxicating. He dropped his head to suck and nip at Daniel’s neck as he did, teasing his skin with his teeth, worrying at the crook of his neck just hard enough to make Daniel whimper and buck up underneath him, craving more sensation._

_“Oh god, John. Love, please, please….”_

_“My needy little love,” John whispered, breath hot against his ear before nipping gently at his lobe. “Love you so much like this… all turned on and willing and desperate for more. Love how badly you want my cock. That’s what you want, isn’t it, love? You want me to make love to you, fuck you hard and deep until you can’t even remember your own name, don’t you?”_

_“Please,” Daniel managed to gasp, feeling almost mindlessly turned on by his words, trying to rock up against him harder. “Need you inside me, need you so badly….”_

_“You’ll always have me,” John murmured against his throat, kissing down his chest to suck briefly at one nipple, lathing it with his tongue. “I promise you that, love. No matter what.” He slid down more, mouthing at his stomach before pressing his face to the base of Daniel’s cock, inhaling deeply before drawing his tongue up the length of his erection. At the same time he pressed his fingers back against his ass, working them inside him, slicking him and stretching him open. He knew him perfectly, making Daniel’s body sing with pleasure from the press and caress of his fingers and the heat of his mouth as he swallowed his cock down eagerly, but it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough, not now when he’d been so alone and needed John so badly._

_“Enough,” he breathed, fingers tugging at John’s softly muscled shoulders. “Please, enough. Make love to me.”_

_Green eyes held his gaze, full of warmth and adoration as John positioned himself between his legs, pressing Daniel’s thighs higher, slicking his cock before starting to press inside him in slow thrusts. Daniel let his eyes fall closed momentarily, drawing a soft breath and focusing on the familiar stretch of his body as he welcomed his lover’s cock, the pleasure of being penetrated. He arched up against his lover, pressing his heels to the small of his back to encourage more, tangling a hand in his hair to pull him down to trembling, needy kisses as they rocked together slowly. “Oh god, yes. Oh god, John….”_

_“My perfect love,” John breathed, letting his mouth fall to Daniel’s throat again as he gave a harder thrust into him. “Love you so much, Daniel. My Daniel.”_

_John caught the crook of his neck between his teeth, biting down just hard enough to send a hot pulse of pleasure down his spine to his cock, to make him cry out and buck up against him. He tangled his fingers tight in John’s hair, breathless and trembling, crying out again as their bodies connected just right, the feel of John’s cock pressing up against his prostate making him ache with pleasure. “Don’t hold back,” he gasped, tense and shuddering under him, another hard thrust pulling a throaty cry from his lips. “Need to feel you. Make me ache. Oh god, please - !”_

_John bit down at the crook of his neck again with a snarl, teeth worrying the flesh and muscle into them as he drove into him harder, sending shocks of pleasure up his spine with each thrust. “Mine,” he growled, drawing back to look down on him, eyes dark with intensity and desire. “Always mine. Always and always. He moved one hand to close around Daniel’s throat, tightening just enough to make Daniel’s breath come hard and fast, the ferocity heightening pleasure, drawing him quickly close as he arched up against him, fingers digging into John’s back._

_“Always yours,” he gasped, closing his eyes to the build of pleasure, arching closer, straining, crying out wordlessly as their bodies came together again and again. John’s mouth covered his again, stealing his cries, fingers moving from his throat to curl around his cock, knowing just how to stroke him to drive him over the edge. Jerking up into his fingers, Daniel cried out against his mouth, shuddering as the overwhelming surge of pleasure washed over his body. John’s groan against his mouth was low and warm and almost relieved, rocking up into him in smooth thrusts through Daniel’s orgasm before giving into his own, flooding him with heat and a hard kiss._

_“Love you,” he whispered, the words curling around Daniel, warm and reassuring. “Always remember that. I’ll always love you.”_

~~~ 

Daniel awoke with a gasp, the warm sense of well-being bleeding away as reality set in. A dream. Just a dream, albeit one that left him heated and languid, the proof of passion uncomfortably sticky in his slacks. The freehold seemed quiet, and though the sun had stopped shining over the freehold completely when the Slaugh took over, he sensed somehow that it was night time. He climbed out of bed, changing out of his rumpled slacks and dress shirt and washing in the cold water in the washbasin before changing into a fresh suit, a deep copper frock coat with subtle copper embroidery with a matching vest and slacks over a soft cream dress shirt. He tucked his pocket watch back in the pocket of his new vest, tying a butter soft caramel silk scarf around his throat as a tie. He left his other silk cravat wrapped around the iron cuff under his slacks, securing it carefully with a few pins. The ability to still use simple magic with this in place relieved him a little and made him feel slightly less helpless in this situation.

He perched on the edge of the narrow cot he’d slept in and closed his eyes with a soft sigh, pressing his fingers to his lips and thinking back over the dream, feeling his heart ache with longing. Had it just been a dream, or had John’s fae soul somehow found him through the dreaming? Was it real, or was it just a desperate attempt of a lonely mind to remember companionship and reassure himself as to the choices he’d made?

He left his room and the library quietly, moving through the hallways until he found the room where John still slumbered. It was empty, the Slaugh clearly busy elsewhere with their search, and he allowed himself to step close to the very mortal seeming man that slept on the table, cupping his cheek with one hand and letting the warmth of his skin reassure him a little more.

“I hope you’re still in there somewhere,” he murmured, wishing he could somehow rouse him, see his eyes, hear his voice. “If you’re listening… I’ll find some way to fix this. I promise.”

He couldn’t stay long, though, not with so many Slaugh lurking throughout the freehold. Remembering the captive mortals downstairs and his promise to them, Daniel left the room, searching the freehold until he found a familiar door to a linen closet. Then he tucked three large wool blankets under one arm and started down towards the basement floor where he’d found the cells. Tucking himself away in a darkened nook he chanced to draw out his pocket watch, clicking it open and willing the seer glass to look down into the cells, checking carefully for a posted guard and finding none. What he did find was a changed air of despair, one girl curled up in his jacket in a fitful sleep while the other sat quietly with her back to the wall, knees pulled up to her chest and head pillowed on her arms. The first girl, though, was silent this time, curled in a ball in the center of the tiny cell, rocking back and forth with her arms wrapped around her knees.

Feeling sick, Daniel slipped down the staircase, catching the keys to the cells off their nail and unlocking the first one, dropping to his knees in front of the girl. “Michelle,” he said softly, speaking low and warm as he would to any mortal client. “Michelle, can you hear me? My name is Doctor Schreber. I’m a therapist, and I’m here to help you.”

There was no response from the girl, no change in the slow rocking of her body, no movement of her head or arms to indicate she’d heard him. Daniel set the blankets down beside her and unfolded one, draping it carefully around her shoulders. “This is a blanket, it will help you get warm. Would you like that?”

“I wouldn’t try to rouse her.” The voice of the girl from the middle cell was quiet, leaden. “You’re too late to help her. Samantha and I tried to talk to her when they first brought her back. She screamed and screamed until one of Them came in and hit her and told her he’d cut out her tongue if she didn’t shut up. She’s been like that ever since.”

Broken. The word went unsaid. Daniel sighed and picked up the other two blankets, leaving the cell to pass one through the cage bars to the girl who’d spoken. “What’s your name?”

“Alison,” She replied after a moment’s hesitation, slowly taking the blanket from him with trembling fingers. “Alison Montgomery. How did you get into her cell? Are you going to let us out?”

“I can’t,” Daniel replied, heart aching. “I’m so sorry. I have no way to get you out of this place. They’ll catch you and then things will be so much worse for all of us.”

“Please,” she whispered, blinking back tears and hugging the blanket to her chest. “Please, just let us go. Let us go home.”

Daniel closed his eyes against the pleading in her gaze. “I’m just as much a captive as you. I can’t do any more to help you than this.”

“Bullshit.” The word was choked as it left her mouth. “You’re not a captive like us. You’re not the one they’re torturing. If you don’t help us, they’ll kill us. They’re going to do the same thing to us as they’ve done to Michelle, they’re going to torture and rape us and then they’ll have to kill us because we’ve seen their faces….” She choked back another sob, hands clenched tightly at the bars. “Please. Please help us. You’re the only one that can help us, please….”

“I’ll try,” he said finally, defeated, hating that it was a lie. Allison dissolved into tears, but the overwhelming glamour of hope that came from her hit him like a blow to the chest, left his senses faintly tingling with magic.

Well, perhaps there was something he could do now.

He passed the last blanket to the third girl, Samantha, he remembered, then returned to the first cell where Michelle still rocked back and forth, huddled under the blanket. Daniel regarded her for a moment, then started to untie the silk scarf around his neck. If his cravat had provided so much insulation against the effect of cold iron just by itself, then perhaps more silk would be even more effective. It was more difficult to wind this one around the manacle, stuffing it between his ankle and the hard metal, but when he was finally done it seemed as though the constant pressure at the base of his skull had lessened a little more.

He dropped to his knees in front of Michelle, regarding her. The enchantment wasn’t one that he’d tried before, though he’d tested the spell, and the function was very similar to the enchantment used to let mortals see the world of the fae. But he needed a vessel to carry the enchantment, and there was no sign of food or water in the cell.

“Doctor?” Allison’s voice was soft from the cell beside him, tear-stained face peaking through the slats in the wall. “What are you going to do to help her?”

“I’m going to make her forget everything that happened here,” Daniel said softly, realizing now what he could do. The key-ring that he’d used to open the door had a beautiful brass filigree fob attached to it, and he worked that off of the ring, laying it in the palm of his hand. He took a fountain pen from the inside pocket of his suit jacket, a beautiful creation of brass and glass that John had given him, then took the end off the diamond stick pin that decorated the lapel of his jacket and pulled it from the fabric to add it to his other materials. Laying all the items out on his palm, he covered them with his other hand, closing his eyes and channeling the glamour of Allison’s hope into the items between his hands, using it to fuel his magic, to transform the items into what he needed them to be. He could feel the iron around his leg heat, uncomfortably warm even through the silk, but it didn’t affect the magic other than to increase the pain in the base of his skull, the hard, aching pound that shuddered through his skull. Finally his work was complete, though, and he released his hold on the magic, feeling the manacle begin to cool, the pain in his skull dulling to a throbbing headache.

Between his palms lay a glass vial fitted inside an old-fashioned o-ring syringe. The needle was retracted into the vial, the vial itself protected by brass filigree fins that closed over it. And inside the glass vial was a pearly white liquid carrying the enchantment that he knew would make the broken girl in front of him forget what had happened to her. He couldn’t hope that it would give her back her dreams, but perhaps it could at least take the things that they’d done to her….

“Michelle. I’m going to give you something to take away the pain,” he said softly, reaching out to carefully brush the girl’s hair back from her forehead. “You’re going to forget everything that’s happened to you. And I will try to convince them to take you home again, I promise you that.” It was easy to cup her face in one hand, tilting her head back slightly. He slipped his fingers into the o-rings of the syringe, the copper fins clicking open as the needle whirred into place. Then he carefully pierced the center of her forehead and injected her with the enchantment.

The effect was almost instantaneous. Michelle’s body went lax as he pulled the syringe away, facial muscles smoothing into relaxation, her fingers releasing the death grip they’d had on her calves. She sunk down onto her side in the cell, closing her eyes to sleep, breath coming slow and deep.

Daniel checked her heart rate, and then tucked the blanket more securely around her. He got to his feet, trying to think everything through as he left the cell and locked the door behind him. Surely if he worded things just right he could convince the Slaugh to send her home….

“Why Doctor, fancy seeing you here.” Mr. Hand’s voice made Daniel’s blood run cold, and he froze as the Slaugh stepped out of the shadows.

“Mr. Hand. I didn’t – I didn’t realize you were here,” he stammered, trying to angle the hand that held the syringe behind his body.

“This is apparent,” Mr. Hand replied, quirking one eyebrow and stepping closer to him. “I would congratulate you on deciding to take advantage of our beautiful captives, however I highly doubt you’re capable of dominating a woman, yes?” He continued to move forward more, voice low and mocking. “Such a shame. Our beautiful Michelle was such a good little whore. We loved the way she screamed when we fucked her and we loved it more when we cut her. But you wouldn’t know anything about that now, would you?” He crowded up against Daniel until he couldn’t move away anymore, back pressed up against the bars of the cell door. With a smirk Mr. Hand’s fingers darted forward to press against his groin, catching his cock in a tight grasp. “I’d guess you’ve never been man enough to get your dick wet with a woman, have you? Or with a man. You always take it up the ass like a good little bitch, just like you did with Murdoch. You’re just as much of a whore as our guests are, aren’t you? Giving away your tight little ass for nothing more than politics. Perhaps we should cage you like these girls, perhaps we should see how much glamour we can wring from you before you break.”

Mr. Hand’s fingers tightened almost painfully on his cock, and Daniel choked back a cry, feeling his body react under the stimulation despite himself. His breath came faster in his panic, and he stumbled over his words, trying to think of something, anything to turn Mr. Hand from this path. “Mr – Hand. I’m sorry, I – “

“You like this, don’t you?” His attacker’s fingers lessened their assult, moving instead to palm him slowly through his slacks, rubbing up and down the shaft of his cock to make him twitch and harden under the stimulation. “The little Sidhe whore gets off on the thought of being forced. Perhaps that’s the real reason why you stayed, yes? Perhaps you need someone to dominate you, to keep you in place, and with Murdoch gone you started to get hard for the idea of my friends and I fucking you. Maybe I should push you to your knees on the floor and fuck your mouth until I come down your throat. Maybe I should push you over the stairs like a good little bitch and fuck your slutty little ass, yes? I’ve never fucked a noble before, you know. Perhaps I should find out if your noble ass is just as tight as you are? Or maybe you’re such a little slut that two of us could fuck your ass at once. Maybe you’re such a little whore that you’d like to service all of us, one after another, let us all fuck you and fill your slutty little ass with come until it drips down your thighs, let us jerk off all over your face and hair and chest. Is that what we should do to you?”

“Don’t,” Daniel gasped, trying to ignore the fact that the insistent torture of Mr. Hand’s fingers had coaxed his unwilling body to almost full hardness. “Please don’t, I – “ He tried to squirm away out of his grasp, but the syringe in his hand caught on the bars of the cell door behind him, falling from his grasp to clatter on the floor.

Mr. Hand stopped, drawing back enough to look down at the item that had fallen. Releasing Daniel’s cock he bent to pick it up, regarding it curiously. “An injection device for enchantment. Fascinating. What have you been doing with it?” He grabbed the keys to the cells from Daniel’s other hand and pushed him away from the door, unlocking it and stalking in to crouch next to Michelle, brushing her hair off her forehead to examine the slight mark left behind by the injection. His voice hardened. “You took away her memories.”

“I made her forget what you did to her,” Daniel affirmed, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice. “No human deserves to be ravaged. You’ve broken her completely. The least I could do was allow her to continue living with some measure of peace. Send her home, Mr. Hand. You’ve stolen everything that you can from that poor woman.”

“Perhaps. Perhaps not. We did have further plans for her, which you unfortunately seem to have ruined. Still, this is a very interesting little toy that you have created. Perhaps you will prove yourself useful again, Doctor.” He straightened, exiting the cell and locking the door behind him. Then he pressed the syringe back into Daniel’s hand. “Leave now, and do not again attempt to visit the prisoners without our permission, yes? It would end very badly for you. Keep that toy of yours safe. We will send for you when we need you.”

Daniel didn’t have to be told twice. He took the syringe and fled from him, tucking the device safely inside the breast pocket of his suit and forcing his bad leg to carry him as fast as he could up the stairs and back to his library.

~~~


	7. Chapter 7

Daniel kept himself scarce for as long as he could, not leaving the library and hardly leaving his room. Perhaps Mr. Hand would forget about his threats. Hopefully.

When a small group of the Slaugh appeared in his library it was far too soon for his liking, but at least Mr. Hand was not among them. “Come, Doctor Screber,” one of them said, as two more of them moved to stand behind him as if blocking any escape. “You are required. And bring the enchantment syringe you have made, yes?”

Daniel nodded, still carrying the item in his coat pocket, and fell into step with them, apprehensive and a little terrified at what they might have thought up for him to do. Surely Mr. Hand’s threats were just that – threats to control him even more with fear. Still, it couldn’t help his stomach from churning as he followed the Slaugh to the Consensus.

Most of the Slaugh were gathered there, and they had the body of one of the girls slung over one shoulder. She was naked, and Daniel assumed it must be the first victim, Michelle. Mr. Book came forward as he entered the room, Mr. Hand trailing closely behind.

“Mr. Hand tells us that you have developed a most useful tool,” Mr. Book started. “Show it to us, now.”

Daniel tried to keep his hand from trembling as he took the syringe from his pocket, holding it out on the palm of his hand. He briefly considered dropping it and letting it break, but he was certain that they’d just make him create a new one, and he didn’t fancy giving himself another headache unnecessarily.

“A syringe capable of enchanting a mortal with an injection.” Mr. Book looked almost impressed. “This will indeed benefit us. Good work, Mr. Hand.”

“It will be much easier to control our girls than to try and force enchanted sustenance on them, yes.” Mr. Hand definitely looked pleased with himself. “And it will greatly benefit the next phase of our plans with these mortals. Doctor, you will make a new enchantment. It will create memories this time instead of removing them. You will enchant a mortal of our choice to remember killing this whore with his own hands.”

It took a moment for the concept to sink in, and then Daniel was overcome with revulsion. “You want me to… to make someone believe that they’ve killed another person?”

“Indeed. And what a beautiful nightmare that will be, yes?”

Daniel shook his head in horror. “I don’t understand. What can you possibly hope to gain by this?”

Mr. Hand’s pale lips stretched into a smile that was almost gruesome. “Glamour, Doctor. The kind of glamour that only comes from living in a desperate nightmare. From the police force working to catch a murderer. From mortals believing they are capable of these acts of depravity. From mortals fearing the darkness. Do this now, Doctor.”

Daniel bristled at the idea, something inside him finally snapping. “No. No, I won’t do it. You take this too far. It’s bad enough already that you’re ravaging these poor women. There’s no need for you to kill them after you’ve raped them of the ability to ever produce glamour again. I cannot, I will not aid you in murder.”

Mr. Hand glanced to Mr. Book, who gave the slightest nod of permission. Then Mr. Hand stalked forward, movements slow and measured and somehow even more frightening than if he’d been obviously angry. He moved to stand close to Daniel’s side, leaning in so his breath teased his ear. “You will not help us, Doctor? You refuse? That would be a shame, especially after claiming that you were here to be our ally, yes? You see, we have little use for fae that are not Slaugh, especially if they refuse to cooperate with us.”

“Then kill me,” Daniel spat back. It didn’t matter anymore anyway. He couldn’t stop them. He was stupid to have ever believed that he could. He’d never get John back. “I won’t help you anymore.”

“Kill you?” Mr. Hand gave an amused little chuckle. “Well that would be a waste, wouldn’t it? No, we won’t kill you, Doctor. But you’ll wish we had.” He seemed to be even more amused by the little shudder that his words sent through Daniel’s body. He ran his fingertips down Daniel’s spine to press between his ass cheeks, teasing against his hole through his fine wool slacks, and he sounded almost delighted at the helpless little whimper it pulled from Daniel’s throat. “First we’ll all take our pleasure of you just like I told you we would when I found you down in the cells. Then we will bring your mortal brother here and do the same to him, and we’ll force you to watch while we do. Perhaps we’ll bring him here first so that he can discover what a good little whore you are, watch you service all of us one after one. Perhaps we’ll even wake Murdoch and do the same to him. It would only be fitting after what we’ve done to the freehold and plan to do to his lover – “

“Enough.” Daniel’s voice broke on the words. “I’ll do what you ask. Leave my brother out of this.”

Mr. Hand gave a satisfied little hum, pressing his fingers harder against Daniel’s ass before pulling away and moving back to stand with Mr. Book. “So the little Sidhe whore does have a weakness after all. Create your enchantment, Doctor. We leave soon.”

“I will need at least a day to research, to make sure that the memories are believable – “

“You have three hours,” Mr. Hand cut him off. “And it better be believable.”

~~~

Anna and May stayed in Ben’s apartment with him in the weeks following their return to the city, leaving only for the occasional night spent in Anna’s beachfront cottage, a necessity to her kith, to be able to sustain and fulfill her magic with the ocean. The rest of the time they spent searching, trying to find their lost comrades.

Some it was easy to find. Angie had returned to her job at the ice rink, though she remembered little of Ben. He left her in place, human and asleep for now. It was probably safer for her that way… and even if he’d wanted to wake her up, in all honesty he wasn’t completely certain how to do so. Anna and May found a few others, one by one, and they quietly obtained addresses and phone numbers, storing everything away in case they needed to find them in the future. There were a few members of their freehold still alive – a trio of Pooka that had been putting on a comedy show the night of the attack, a Satyr musician that had just returned from touring with his band, a few others here and there who had been in their mortal homes instead of the freehold. But everyone who had been in the freehold the night of the attack had been defeated, their fae souls and memories sealed away inside human shells as if they’d never existed.

Of the one fae that Ben needed the most, however, there was no sign.

He went to Larry’s apartment first, letting himself in with his own copy of the key. The apartment was unchanged from how they’d last left it, though, right down to the dishes drying in the dish rack and the unopened package of toilet paper in the bathroom. Ben wrote a short, simple note and left it in the center of the kitchen table, signing it with his name and phone number. He hadn’t particularly expected that he’d find Larry at home; it was unlikely that he’d even know where home was, since he’d only been in this particular apartment for the past few years. Certainly the memory of moving here would be tied up in the fae memories that would be locked away when he awoke. Still, he’d hoped that he would Larry as easily as that. It was hard not to admit to the girls how worried he was, how frazzled and incomplete he felt without his Satyr lover at his side. He perched on the side of the bed before leaving, wrapping his arms around Larry's pillow and pressing his face to the smooth cotton pillowcase to breathe in deeply of his scent. As worried as he was about finding Larry, his real fear was not the inability to locate him but that he wouldn’t be able to make Larry remember him, that four years of love and companionship would be completely lost.

He checked each of the city hospitals next, asking about amnesia victims that matched Larry’s height and description. He wasn’t sure if Larry would have had any identification on him when he was found. Would the doctors have any way to identify him? It was a difficult task, and many of the hospitals refused to even check the databases, citing patient confidentiality, and since Ben wasn’t family, he had no rights to that information. He did manage to locate a few other members of the freehold, but they didn’t remember him, and there was no sign of Larry.

He’d visited Larry’s office during his search, a small recording studio that he owned that seemed to be running fairly self-sufficiently in his absence. He’d been to visit Larry there a few times, but it was mostly after hours; with his job at the rink involving so many children, they’d decided unanimously that it was probably best to keep his sexuality a low profile. As a result he hadn’t met many of the staff that ran the studio. The receptionist looked at him blankly when he introduced himself, and Ben sighed. “I’m a close friend of Mr. Byrne’s. He was involved in an accident last weekend and was taken to the hospital with amnesia, but I wasn’t able to find out which one. I really need to speak with him as soon as possible. Could you have him call me if he comes in to work?”

She raised an eyebrow, glancing him over dubiously, and Ben had to admit he didn’t blame her. His human seeming was definitely far more clean cut then the artists and musicians Larry normally associated with; the receptionist herself had full sleeve tattoos of flowers and Buddhist art that extended onto her chest. He briefly considered stripping off his shirt just to show his own tattoos but figured it probably wouldn’t help his case.

“Just take my number,” he said, taking a post-it off the counter and writing his name and number down. “Please. I really need to see him.”

“I’ll pass along the message, Mr. Carson,” she replied, taking the post-it from him.

Ben tried to think of places that Larry might go to, places that might be familiar to him, but it was difficult. He didn’t have family in the city beyond his staff at work and the fae at the freehold, and every place that Ben was familiar with were places they’d gone together as fae. Still, he visited them all again and again; theaters, restaurants and pubs, and of course Larry’s studio itself… but as the weeks wore on with no sign of Larry and no word from him, Ben began to wonder if he’d ever find his lover again.

The air of the city didn’t do anything to strengthen his hope. The thick clouds had hung over the city since the day the Slaugh had summoned there, sending down a constant drizzle and keeping everything in dim drabness. Ben pulled the hood of the raincoat more securely over his head as he came down out of the train station on his daily search, starting down the street towards the studio. Even in the gloom of the unending rain this area was still so very familiar, and he couldn’t help but remember the times he’d walked down this street with Larry at his side….

He stepped underneath the overhang in front of the studio, standing still for a moment to let the rain drip off his coat. It had been weeks since everything had happened, weeks since he’d seen the sun.

It was difficult not to give into despair.

“Excuse me.” A figure slipped past him and into the building, and it took a moment for everything to sink in. The voice, the features….

Ben pushed through the door and stopped, dripping on the mat. The man stood at the reception desk, smiling as he talked to the receptionist, hooking his umbrella into the umbrella stand next to the desk. He looked different as a simple human, without his majestic Satyr horns, his red hair cropped short instead of the longer waves that Ben had ran his fingers through so many times. But he was still…. “Larry.”

Larry turned, falling still, eyebrows knitting together a little as his eyes moved over him. “Do I… know you?”

“This is the gentleman who left the message,” the receptionist was saying. She glanced to Ben apologetically. “I did pass it on….”

“It’s all right,” Ben replied softly, stepping closer, still holding Larry’s gaze. “You don’t remember me?”

“I’m sorry,” Larry replied, glancing away helplessly. “I was in some kind of accident recently. It affected my memory. I’ve even forgotten half my musicians.” He looked back to him, giving a little shake of his head. “Can you tell me who you are? How we know each other?”

“I’m Ben. We were…” Ben hesitated for a moment. “Friends.”

“Friends.” Larry’s features softened, and Ben could see a soft hint of Glamour shimmer around him. “Well, if we’re friends, maybe we should have coffee in my office and talk for a bit?”

Ben felt the smallest touch of hope. “I’d like that.”

Settled in Larry’s office with a hot cup of coffee, Ben relaxed into the comfort of the place and found himself wishing that he’d made more of an effort to visit him here in the past. They’d tried to keep a low profile in the mundane world, though it was more for Ben’s job than Larry’s. The main fixture of the room beyond the desk was a long leather couch that sat in front of a one-way window that looked out into the sound booth and the recording studio beyond. The entire place was imbued with the soft, lingering glamour of creation from the hundreds of artists who had played here over the years. But would it be enough to wake him up? He’d asked Larry once how he’d woken up the first time. Larry had grinned, waggled his eyebrows suggestively and said, “I’ll show you.” And then they’d proceeded to fuck for the rest of the night. It had been incredibly hot at the time, but it didn’t really help him now.

Larry settled beside him on the couch, and Ben tried not to think about the last time he’d been here, late at night, tried not to think about Larry stretched out under him, naked on the couch. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said, looking up into his lover’s blue eyes. “I’ve been looking for you for weeks.”

“I’m sorry,” Larry replied, shaking his head again. “The doctors have tried so many therapies, so many different drugs… I can hardly even remember this place. “ He gave a soft, helpless sigh, taking a sip of his coffee. “I’m sorry to have worried you. Do you know what happened to me?”

Ben let his hands cup the mug, blowing on it a little to cool the steaming liquid. “I heard there was a fight,” he said finally. “You were trying to protect a friend. It didn’t go well.”

Larry nodded slowly, setting his mug down on the side table before shifting closer to him on the couch, holding his gaze. “Ben… you’re the Ben who left the note in my apartment, aren’t you? That means…” he stopped, looking Ben over more carefully, and his expression softened into something a little wistful. “We were more than just friends, weren’t we?”

Ben felt his heart stop momentarily, then begin racing. He set the mug aside as well, reaching instead to take Larry’s hands in both of his. “… yes.”

Larry leaned closer, looking up at him, soft yearning in human blue eyes that it made Ben’s heart twist painfully in his chest for a moment. “I don’t remember you,” he said softly, “But I remember how you feel. It feels right to be with you. I went home to what they said was my apartment and I could recognize what was mine, and I could see traces of someone else. That was you, wasn’t it? The sweater in my closet, the extra pair of pajamas….”

Ben nodded silently, bringing Larry’s hands to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to the knuckles, keeping eye contact with him as he did. “What do you feel?” he asked softly.

Larry drew a soft breath, hands tightening their grip on Ben’s. “Like I just want to stay with you until I remember how to be me again. I feel like this is the most real that I’ve felt in weeks. Like I belong at your side….”

Ben gave a mute nod, freeing one hand from Larry’s and reaching out to cup his face, almost as it of assure himself of its reality. “I’ve missed you so much,” he said before he could stop himself, and leaned in to kiss him.

Larry gave a soft hum against his mouth that seemed almost relieved, sliding a hand up into the short spikes of Ben’s hair. His kisses were soft and yearning, but quickly grew more demanding, pressing closer until he was half in Ben’s lap, sucking and nipping at his lips, tongue hot and eager against his own. “Help me remember, Ben,” he breathed, trailing warm kisses along his jaw. “I know I’m supposed to be with you. Help me remember that.”

Ben drew him closer, emotions in turmoil, voice raw when he spoke. “I don’t deserve you. It’s my fault you’re like this. I should have been with you. I should have – “

Larry’s kiss cut him off, hands cupping his face. Then he drew back to look at him, blue eyes warm and intense. “I can’t say you're right or wrong, I don’t know enough to judge. But I know I need you now. Please….”

“I’ll do anything you want me to,” Ben murmured as he leaned in to kiss him again, feeling a soft rush of relief at the words, at giving himself over to this. Larry’s mouth was warm and lush and as eager as he’d always been, lips parting to his without hesitation, sucking at Ben’s lips and tongue. Larry was here, and willing, and needed him. That was what mattered the most. And perhaps, just perhaps he could help him remember more….

Larry’s office was comfortable, familiar, and the glamour of the musicians in the studio was warm and reassuring. Here would be the best place, here where Larry had helped and inspired so many mortals, here where so much glamour had been created. He let himself break from the lush familiarity of Larry’s full mouth to kiss along his jaw, pressing closer to him, hands sliding over his hips and up his sides, reassuring himself with the warm familiarity of his body. Still the same, still Larry. Larry gave a soft groan and tilted his head back submissively, shuddering and arching closer to him, hands stroking up over Ben’s chest and shoulders. That was the same, too, so achingly familiar, and the joy of finding this when he’d been so afraid in his darkest moments that he’d never find this again was overwhelming, making his heart ache with the love he had for this amazing man.

“I know this,” Larry breathed again, one hand sliding up into his hair to clench in the short spikes. His voice was almost incredulous. “Oh god. It’s perfect. Oh god, don’t stop….”

Ben let his hand stroke up over his chest as he sealed his mouth to Larry’s throat, sucking gently, craving his lover’s familiar whimper. It was easy to tease and please his skin with his lips and teeth, tugging open the first few buttons of Larry’s shirt to suck at the crook of his neck, biting just hard enough and worrying at the muscle with his teeth until Larry was gasping and arching up against him, almost in his lap, whimpering his name. “Ben. Oh god, oh _fuck_ , Ben - !”

He kissed up to nip at his earlobe, letting his breath trail over his skin. Here was best, but he had to at least make an attempt at propriety…. “Do you want me to show you how we used to make love? We can go home to your apartment….”

“That would require stopping,” Larry returned without hesitation, pulling Ben’s mouth to his again and at the same time laying back into the crook of the leather sofa, pulling Ben with him. “We do this here. Oh god, here. Need this now.”

It was so much his Larry, so much of his fire and passion. Ben let himself stretch out against the length of his body, feeling a throb of arousal in his awakened cock as he let himself devour his lover’s mouth. He tugged the rest of the buttons of Larry’s shirt undone to slip a hand inside, stroking over the warm, toned muscles he remembered, pinching a nipple lightly between his thumb and forefinger, groaning as Larry’s hands slipped up under his shirt to clench at his back, then pulled it up over his head and off. It was completely intoxicating, arching and grinding against him slowly until he was so hard it was almost painful, until he could feel Larry’s cock hard through his jeans, the fabric straining around it. He forced himself to pull back, panting. “Let me lock your office door.”

“Please,” Larry murmured in reply, drawing a deep breath as Ben pulled away, crossing to the door to turn the lock. When he turned back Larry had pulled open his jeans, wearing no underwear to hamper him from freeing his erection, stroking it slowly as he met Ben’s gaze. Blue eyes smoldered with familiar lust, eager despite a hint of uncertainty, and Ben moved to perch between his thighs, fingers curling around Larry’s cock with his own, stroking him slowly and watching his eyes flutter closed in pleasure.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he murmured, leaning down to flick his tongue over the head of his cock. His lover had been completely intoxicating as a fae, sexy and self-assured and inviting, but there was something delicious about the very mortal sense of wonder mixed into it now, the joy of rediscovering that which had been previously unknown. His free hand tangled in Ben’s hair, urging more, and Ben took him in his mouth without hesitation, reveling in the familiar taste of his skin, of the heat and weight of his lover’s cock on his tongue.

“Oh god…” Larry’s hips gave a little helpless buck as he swallowed him down. “Oh god, your mouth… drive me so crazy. Do you always drive me this crazy?”

Ben chuckled around him, low and throaty, pulling back to let Larry’s cock pop from his lips. “You always say I do.” He held Larry’s gaze for a moment, letting the open passion and warmth in them soothe and reassure him, then leaned in to kiss him slowly. “Do you want to see what you’ve forgotten?”

“Sex?” Larry’s fingers smoothed to tug at the button of his pants, slipping a hand inside to curl around his cock. “Please. Oh god yes, that’s a gorgeous thick cock….”

Ben gave a breathless laugh, giving in to the urge to rock into his touch. “More than just sex, love. So much more. So many amazing things….”

“More amazing than sex?” Larry leaned up to kiss him, nipping at his bottom lip as his fingers smoothed up and down the length of his shaft.

Ben fought the urge to give into pleasure completely, drawing back to hold his gaze. “This will sound strange to you, but the reason you’ve forgotten so much about your world is that it’s so beautiful, so fantastic that the normal human mind can’t even begin to comprehend it on its own. I can help you see it again. I hope it will help you remember.”

Larry paused, searching his gaze. “I don’t know if I understand what you’re saying… but I want to. Can you help me?”

Ben pressed his lips to his forehead, wishing he could somehow reassure him. “I can’t really explain… I just have to show you. Can you trust me?”

Larry hesitated, and then managed a little nod. “Can we make love first?”

Ben let his mouth fall to his chest, sucking at one small nipple as he rolled his hips against Larry’s, letting their erections rub against each other and the pulled aside clothing. “Just like this on the couch, baby?”

“Just like however the fuck you want as long as it involves your cock in my ass.” His lover’s voice was beginning to take on a hint of desperation. “I don’t even care about lube at this point, just – fuck….!”

Ben moved to nip at the crook of his neck again, pulling back just enough to yank Larry’s jeans down and off. There was a small bottle of lube in top drawer of the table beside his head, exactly where he’d left it the last time he’d been here. He retrieved it with a knowing smirk, which Larry returned. He slipped out of the rest of his clothes, then kissed down Larry’s chest, slicking his fingers and stroking the soft point just behind Larry’s balls that he knew would make him gasp and moan, stroking back further to tease his ass, sliding one finger inside at Larry’s little desperate whimper. He rocked up against the penetration with a throaty moan, fingers clenching at Ben’s back. “Fuck, more. Don’t make me wait. I know I’m not a virgin.”

“About the farthest thing from it,” Ben replied with a low chuckle, licking up the length of his cock as he worked another finger up into him, crooking his fingers just enough to tease his pleasure point, make him gasp and shudder.

“Fuck - ! Enough, enough, I’m good. Fuck me. Please….”

He pulled his fingers away just long enough to slick his erection, shifting back up to kiss him as he teased his ass with this head of his cock, Larry’s legs wrapped up around his waist. “Glad to see you’re still the same little slut for cock you’ve always been,” he murmured, chuckling softly and kissing Larry’s lips at his little frustrated whine. “Shh, shh love. I want this just as bad, trust me.” He gave a hard thrust of his hips against him, letting his cock slide between the cheeks of his ass, grinding against him hard a few times before finally starting to ease into him in slow thrusts. The heat of Larry’s body was perfect, so familiar that he couldn’t help but moan, pressing deep in a few hard thrusts. “God - !”

Larry arched up against him, heels pressed to the small of his back to encourage more. “Oh god yes, perfect. Fuck, I needed this….” His fingers caught in Ben’s hair again, tugging him back into hard kisses, breath gasped in between kisses and the movements of their bodies. Larry’s fingers were trembling as he held him, kisses getting a little more desperate as they moved together. “You’re amazing. God, how could I forget you?”

“Let me show you.” Ben slowed, catching his gaze again. “Please.”

“Do it.” Larry’s voice sounded stronger, more convinced, though he gave a little frustrated whimper when Ben pulled away. “I didn’t say stop!”

“Just trust me,” Ben replied. He grabbed a scotch mint from the dish on the coffee table and held it to his lips, reaching out to access the glamour around him. He wasn’t nearly Daniel’s equal in magic, but this was easy enough to do. “ _Come dream with me. Open your eyes and see._ ”

He held the mint between his lips, leaning down to press it to Larry’s, who took it from him unquestioningly, chewing on the candy. He drew a sharp gasp as Ben drew back, eyes widening as the enchantment kicked in to let him see the same elements of magic around him that any fae would see. He reached up to stroke his fingertips over Ben’s face wonderingly, tracing up the length of one horn. “Holy fuck. You – that – how?“

“Magic,” Ben replied , watching him carefully. “The same reason that you lost your memory.”

“Magic?” His eyebrows knit together, fingers stroking through the short spikes of hair that was now so blonde it was almost white. “You’re bigger. What – how the hell….” He stopped for a moment, shifting back to squirm out from under him, sitting up to get a better look. His confusion suddenly changed to a wide grin. “Oh god yes, your cock is bigger too. Fucking now, questions later.”

Ben hardly had time to react before he found himself pushed back against the other side of the couch, arms full of a very warm and eager lover who shrugged out of his shirt and straddled his lap. Larry dripped more lube onto his cock, smoothing it up and down his shaft as he kissed him hungrily, finally moving to guide Ben’s cock into place, rocking back down onto him with a throaty groan. Ben jerked up into him, echoing Larry’s cry as he stroked his hands hungrily over his hips and ass. “Fuck - !”

“Please,” Larry gasped, moving harder on him, hands clenched at Ben’s shoulders for support. “Jesus Christ you feel good. You always feel good. Oh god, I know this.” He let his head fall to rest against Ben’s shoulder, hands stroking over his biceps hungrily as his hips continued to rock on him, fucking himself a little harder, pushing his cock a little deeper with each thrust. “Christ, you’re huge, feels so damn good, love… so perfect, so full, oh fuck…!” His voice broke on a whimper as Ben pulled his hips closer, bucking up into him and angling just so to hit up against his prostate.

“So perfect,” Ben echoed, fingers kneading at his ass, pressing breathless kisses and nips along his shoulder. He closed his eyes to it all, letting his senses concentrate on the familiar, on the taste of Larry’s skin and the heady scent of his body, on the tight heat of his body and the way he shuddered each time their bodies connected just right. On the throaty groans and half gasped curses and entreaties for more as they moved together hard and fast.

His body remembered this well, passion building hot and wild in his core, threatening to break free. But it was the emotion of this that did it more than anything else, the relief of having Larry in his arms again. “I love you,” he murmured, voice breaking on the words, pulling Larry closer and burying his face in the crook of his neck. “I took you for granted and I’m so sorry. I love you so fucking much.”

“Ben - !” Larry’s voice was as thick with emotion as his own, body trembling as he rode him, hips stuttering. His groan caught on a whimpered sob as he pushed Ben’s cock up against his sweet spot again, body shuddering, and Ben could feel how close he was. His fingers dug into Ben’s back, hard little nips of pain that only made everything more real and fantastic. “Come inside me,” he gasped, voice urgent. “Please. Oh fuck, Ben - !”

It was easy to answer his plea, jerking up hard into his ass as his passion reached its crest, spilling over in a burst of ecstasy that overwhelmed him completely, and as he spilled inside him the pleasure of it all let him forget about everything that had gone wrong, everything in the world but Larry. He was aware of his lover’s breathless, almost triumphant cry, riding him hard through his climax and joining him, coming hot and slick between them.

Ben closed his eyes, fingers clenched at the small of Larry’s back, not willing to let him go, to leave the moment just yet. He moved a hand to stroke up and down his spine, dropping breathless kisses to his neck and shoulder. Larry’s breath was hot against his shoulder, fingers unclenching from his back to stroke over his skin, up and down his arms before pausing, his body growing still.

“We got tattooed together,” he said suddenly. “I remember that. We… oh god, Ben. What happened to the freehold?”

Ben jerked back enough to look up at him, eyes drinking in familiarity with a rush of relief. He cupped Larry’s face in his hands and claimed his mouth with a shuddering groan, stroking his fingers over his features, the soft waves of red hair and pointed ears, the long, proud horns that jutted from his forehead. “Fuck. Oh god, Larry. Thank god.”

Larry let his forehead rest against his, giving a slow, shuddering breath. “Oh god. I died, that’s what happened. All those fucking Slaugh. Why the hell did they attack us? Oh god, Lord Murdoch – “

“I know,” Ben replied, voice husky. “I’m so sorry, Lar. I got back too late to help you. The girls and I have spent every day since trying to find everyone. It’s been over two weeks.” He closed his eyes, fingers stroking through his hair. “Was so afraid I’d never find you again….”

“Thank you,” Larry replied softly, arms tightening around his shoulders. “Thank you for not giving up on me. For waking me up again.”

“I never want to be without you,” Ben replied softly, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice. “I felt like you never really knew how important you were to me. I was always so focused on Daniel – “

“I knew,” Larry reassured him softly, pressing a slow kiss to his mouth. “I see it when you look at me, Ben. I feel your glamour when you kiss me. I know you have your responsibilities, and I have mine. I still knew how you felt. I still knew I was important.”

“You always will be,” Ben breathed in reply, dotting soft kisses to his mouth. “I promise you that.”

Larry shivered in his arms, returning the kisses. “Thank you, love.” He cuddled into him more, seeming unwilling to pull away. “Have I missed a lot?”

Ben sighed softly, pressing a kiss to his hair. “You could say that. I should take you back to the girls, we can fill you in.”

“The girls.” Larry drew back to give him a sharp look. “Where’s Daniel?”

Ben swallowed down the now all too familiar lump in his throat of loss and failure. “It’s… complicated. He’s alive, but… he’s with them. And we haven’t been able to find Lord Murdoch.”

“We’ll get him back,” Larry said without hesitation, voice low and firm, and somehow it reassured Ben more than anything else had. “We’ll get both of them back. We can do it together.”

Ben nodded silently, not trusting his voice, but leaned in to seal the agreement with a kiss.

They cuddled together silently for a few moments, then Larry finally extracted himself from his embrace, finding a package of wipes in the side table where the lube had been – also from last time, Ben assumed – and cleaned them up. His clothes had returned to the garb that Ben was more familiar with; the knee length trousers and matching deep green frock coat, the edges embellished with tiny copper gears. The belts that did up around his waist held his paired short swords, which he patted with a satisfied hum.

Ben pulled back on his pinstripe cargo pants and the reinforced leather vest, watching his lover. “Larry?”

Larry paused at the door, turning back to smile at him warmly. “Yes, love?”

“How did you wake up the first time?”

Larry smirked, stepping closer and running his hands over his hips. “Want me to show you?”

Ben chuckled softly, leaning in to kiss him. “You’ve shown me numerous times. I want to actually know.”

Larry leaned in to nuzzle his ear, body warm and strong against his own as he trailed kisses slowly along the edge. “You really want to know, handsome?”

“I want to know everything,” Ben replied, pressing his lips to his jaw and sliding his fingers up into his hair.

Larry gave a soft, pleased hum. “Everything. Well then… my age was sixteen. The place was here, in the presidential suite of the Hilton downtown. The circumstance was getting in with the talent after the most amazing concert of my life, and I was more than a little tipsy on champagne. Then I had sex.”

“I know that part,” Ben replied, stroking hands down over his hips. “But what woke you up?”

“The sex.”

“Just the sex? Was it your first time?”

“Hardly.” Larry chuckled, voice lowering, soft and husky. “It was with David Bowie.”

Ben pulled back to stare at his lover’s wide grin. “You – “

“Yes.”

“Had sex?”

“A lot of sex.”

“With David Bowie.”

“Ziggy Stardust in the flesh.” Larry looked even more pleased. “It was fabulous sex.”

“With David Bowie.”

“Mmhmm.”

Ben shook his head incredulously. “I don’t have any doubt that you could seduce David Bowie, really, but it’s still a hell of a story. And you were sixteen?”

“Jailbait, even.” Larry’s eyes were bright with good humor. “He’s a Satyr too, you know. He told me afterwards that he’s got a talent for seeing sleeping Satyrs. And bedding sleeping Satyrs. Nothing like sex with your idol to wake you the hell up.”

“Don’t tell me, you remind him of the babe.”

Larry cracked up, cuddling into him happily. “You’re so corny. Are you jealous?”

“Of Bowie?” Ben thought about that for a brief moment. “No. You’re here now.”

“And you have a bigger cock,” Larry purred, nipping at his earlobe.

“Now I’m definitely not jealous.”

“Good. Because you shouldn’t be.” Larry pulled back to give him a fond smile, brushing a thumb against his lips. “Come on, mister. Let’s go home and get fully reacquainted.”

~~~~


	8. Chapter 8

Frank Bumstead watched his young lover stand at the rail of the ferry and look out across the sea, lips graced with a smile and an ever-present eagerness for change. He stepped up behind him, slipping an arm around his shoulders and placing his hand over Leon’s on the rail. “Careful… I hear going for a swim this time of year can be very cold.”

Leon looked up at him, smile widening. “I’m always careful, you know that. Besides, you wouldn’t let anything happen to me.”

Frank nodded wordlessly, pressing his lips to Leon’s hair. He knew all too well how much Leon had given him, intentionally and not, and he’d willingly give up his life and his world to protect him.

Leon was a bit of a rarity with the fae, the child of Frank’s freehold’s ruling Sidhe Lady and her mortal lover who had died. Her lover’s death had almost undone Lady Isyla; her salvation was found in Leon, a mortal child raised among fae who, with his mother’s blood, could work minor magics and see the world as a fae did.

Frank had paid little attention to him in the beginning, when Leon was still a child. He didn’t spend much time at the freehold, which was almost an hour’s drive out of the city where he lived. The freehold was a strange, other-worldly place to visit during special occasions or to retreat to when the banality of reality became too much. But it wasn’t Frank’s world. He was a cop, had always been a cop, and when his fae soul woke up in one dark, frantic evening of chasing down and immobilizing a serial killer and saving the family he’d been slowly torturing it didn’t change the fact that Frank was still a cop. What it did change was what he could bring to the job. He’d been quickly promoted into a special unit of homicide; the higher ups had spouted pages of nonsense about his potential and his good work, but the real reason was his new boss; Tall and strong and baring the same blue skin and small horns that Frank now saw when he looked in the mirror. Inspector Hotchner became his mentor, gave him a proper introduction to the world his soul had always been a part of, and also showed him how to find magic in what they did. How to obtain a fae’s badly needed glamour from the art of their work and the joy of the people they rescued, the families they helped. It was a dangerous life, dirty and gritty and frantic and completely fulfilling, and Frank had loved every moment of it.

He knew that the other fae at the freehold disapproved, for the most part. Their world was one of art and music, of inspiring mortals with beauty and with none of the gritty realism of police work. Lady Isyla had offered him a place in her guard early on, making sure he knew exactly what the risks of his lifestyle were. “We only have a limited time here as fae,” she had said, watching him seriously. “As the mortal shell ages we become more and more susceptible to banality when we’re outside of the freehold. Eventually we all forget who we really are. The life that you’ve chosen will only hasten that.”

Frank had been twenty three, newly awakened and invincible. He’d smiled at Leon, then six, as he’d climbed into his mother’s lap and buried his face in her neck to shyly watch Frank. “I don’t belong here,” Frank replied calmly. “I want to help mortals, protect them. I know you understand that.”

“I do,” she agreed with a sad little smile, “And your mentor told me the same thing. Just be careful. I don’t like to see my people fall to the sadness of the world.”

For twelve, thirteen years, nothing changed. Frank became one of the best of his job, learning under his mentor’s watchful eye how to turn human’s glamour into magic, how to be stronger, more resilient, faster than mortals, and how to use nature to protect and aid. If he noticed that his mentor was slowing down he said nothing, but took him out to the freehold a little more often. Then Hotchner’s mortal wife left him, taking their young son: a casualty of all of his time at work, Hotchner had said. He took a promotion that took him away from work with Frank and chained him to a desk and paperwork, rationalizing that better hours would give him more time to pursue getting his family back, but he only seemed to grow more tired.

Then one morning Frank came into the office to find nothing of the great troll who had been his guide; just a tired mortal man, small and sad. He stood silently at the door to Hotchner’s office for a long moment, feeling a wave of despair wash over him. His mentor had looked up at him with politeness and none of the friendship and familiarity Frank was used to. “Can I help you, Inspector Bumstead?”

“No,” Frank had replied, and “I’m sorry.” The words meant so much more than a simple apology for the disturbance. He should have seen, should have known. Should have done more to prevent his mentor’s undoing.

For weeks he struggled to take joy from his work, finding none of the usual glamour in the challenge of the chase and only a little in the gratitude and hope of those he found and helped. What did it matter, if it was all going to end soon enough? He stopped visiting the freehold. What difference would it make, anyway?

He’d been staring blankly at a case file when a soft knock came on the open door to his office. Frank looked up, and his heart stopped beating.

He knew the boy who stood in his doorway, of course. Everyone in the freehold knew Lady Isyla’s mortal son, Leon. He’d inherited his mother’s beauty along with the touch of her magic, with features fine and sweet and boyish and a smile that warmed the whole room. He hadn’t inherited his mother’s height, however, and his body was toned but petite. He was small even next to Frank’s mortal shell; the size of Frank’s true self dwarfed him completely. In police blues he was somehow even more enticing than he’d ever been before, and Frank felt a rush of agony. He wasn’t sure at what point Leon had made the transition from the innocent boy he’d met to the self-assured man that stood in front of him now, but Frank had realized some time ago how easy it would be to fall in love with him if he wasn’t careful. It had been hard enough to keep from looking at the boy, to keep from wanting him while in his mother’s freehold. Outside the freehold in the mortal world, in Frank’s world….

“Inspector Bumstead.” Leon was smiling softly. “May I come in?”

Frank managed a grunt, watching as Leon closed the door behind him and pulled up a chair, sitting close. He watched Frank for a long moment, considering, then finally spoke. “My mother wants me to bring you back to the freehold. She says she’s very sorry about Hotchner. She wants to keep you safe. But I don’t want to take you away from this, sir. I think we’ll be just fine if we’re together.”

“Together?” Frank raised an eyebrow, forcing his mind away from the far more sundry definition of the word. “You’re going to be a cop? And she let you? Why would your mother send the most precious thing in her world to take care of an old grump?”

“I just graduated from the academy,” Leon replied with a smile. “That was my choice, and to be here with you. Mother helped me arrange for me to be your new assistant, but that’s all. It makes her uneasy. But the fae of mother’s house understand better than anyone how important it is to follow your heart. She won’t interfere with this.”

“This?” Frank forced himself to remain composed despite his racing heart. “Are you even legal?”

“I’m twenty and perfectly legal,” Leon replied, smile widening, and reached out to cover Frank’s hand with his own. “And I want this, and I know that you want this. Now let’s go for coffee.”

He followed Leon to his car and let him drive them both to coffee, which ended up being at Leon’s apartment. It was like the boy had enchanted him, though later Frank would have to admit that there was no magic beyond Leon’s beauty and his own desire given rein after long being shuttered and locked away. Leon started the coffee brewing, then returned to where Frank was standing at the doorway to the apartment kitchen, stock still. He smiled, pressing close and sliding his hands up to rest on Frank’s chest. “You can let your guard down around me, sir. I promise I want everything in the world for you. I’ve watched you all growing up, I know you. I know your honor and nobility. I’ve seen you watch me, and I know that you want me, and that you’d never make a move to touch me unless I asked you to. But I’ve wanted you longer than you can imagine, Frank.”

“You shouldn’t want me,” Frank replied, voice rough, but found his hands moving to rest on Leon’s sides and draw the boy closer. “You have your whole life ahead of you. Don’t saddle yourself with this grumpy old man.”

“You’re not that old,” Leon replied with a little teasing smile. “And if you don’t believe me, I’ll show you.” With that he arched up, hooking his hands around the back of Frank’s neck and drawing him down into a yearning kiss. For a brief moment Frank resisted, intending to give him a soft, chaste peck and be done with it. But Leon was too enticing, too completely willing, and despite Frank’s protests, he wanted the boy so badly he could hardly contain it. In moments he’d pushed Leon back against the side of the doorframe, devouring his mouth with a single-minded passion, large hands stroking hungrily over his flanks to cup his hips and ass and pull him close.

“Oh god yes…” Leon’s sigh was almost relieved, and he tilted his head back as Frank kissed along his jaw, sucking at his skin. His fingers tangled in Frank’s short hair, encouraging more as he tried to arch closer. “Oh god, Frank, please….”

“I shouldn’t be doing this,” Frank murmured, kissing down his throat, sucking on the crook of his neck. “God, I shouldn’t want you this badly.”

It was all too easy to lose himself in Leon, in the sweetness of his body and the warmth of the glamour that shone even brighter when Frank kissed him. He pressed closer to Frank, wrapping one leg around his thigh as they kissed, and Frank could feel his arousal eager and hard through his slacks. It was easy to give in, to strip away the top of Leon’s uniform to touch and taste his skin, and when Leon wiggled away to pull him down the hall towards his bedroom he didn’t resist. He pinned Leon to the bed, indulging in the soft skin of his throat, slipping a hand between them to cup Leon’s erection through his pants, making the young man whine and grind up against him.

“I’ll do anything you want,” he murmured, sucking on one pink nipple as he tugged Leon’s belt undone. He tugged Leon’s slacks and boxers down his thighs so Leon could kick them off, letting his hands stroke hungrily over the smooth, firmly muscled flesh of his thighs and ass and drinking in the way it made his newfound lover shiver and moan. Finally he took Leon’s cock in hand, loving the feel of the hard, slender shaft against his palm and stroking him slowly.

“Fuck…” Leon had managed to get Frank’s shirt undone but stopped, hands clenching at his chest as he rocked up into his touch. “God, you’re better than I ever imagined. Oh god, I want you so bad….”

“Shhh….” Frank pressed a kiss to his earlobe as he continued to stroke slowly, licking along the outside of his ear and over the hint of a point at the tip that belied his heritage to those who knew how to look. He drew a sharp breath as Leon’s hand cupped his erection through his slacks, palming and stroking slowly. “Oh god….”

“You’re wearing too much.” Leon twisted just a little, hands tugging at his belt even as his hips continued to cant up into Frank’s touch. “Please. Want to see you.” He helped tug off the rest of Frank’s clothes, fingers moving to curl around his cock, hand looking even smaller against the girth of it. His eyes narrowed slightly, dark with desire, and Frank couldn’t help but shudder at the tantalizing pink flash of a tongue that wet Leon’s lips as he took in Frank’s body. He slid down without warning, nuzzling his chest briefly before moving to run his tongue up the length of Frank’s cock with a soft moan.

“God…” Frank’s fingers tangled in his hair, breath coming faster as he watched Leon cover his length with slow laps before sucking on the head of his cock. It seemed unreal, surreal, but he realized he’d never wanted anything more. His fingers clenched almost too tight in Leon’s hair, but the younger man seemed to enjoy it, whimpering around him as his lips parted over the head of Frank’s cock, stroking the shaft as he took as much as he could. Frank curled around him more, reaching until he could smooth a hand over Leon’s firm ass and down the crack, teasing against his hole.

Leon gave a soft cry around his cock, pulling away breathlessly to gasp, “Please. Oh god, please – wait, here – “ He leaned over Frank to pull open the bedside drawer, affording a very nice view of his ass for a moment before slipping back into place, pressing a bottle of lube into Frank’s hand. “Please.”

“Anything,” Frank murmured in reply, drawing a sharp breath as Leon’s eager little mouth closed around his cock again. He slicked his fingers, stroking around the outside of the young man’s hole, feeling him shiver and squirm, trying to push back against the touch. He eased a finger inside of him finally, fucking him slowly, drunk on Leon’s reactions, on how responsive he was to every tease and caress, sucking down Frank’s cock with almost frantic hunger as he rocked back against his fingers. Throughout it all he could feel Leon’s wonder and happiness, soft waves of glamour that washed over him, intoxicating.

Leon’s enthusiasm made it even hotter, the little whimpers and groans he gave as he bobbed on Frank’s cock, one hand still stroking the base. It made Frank want to clench a hand in his hair and fuck his mouth, rock up into the wet heat until he came down the boy’s throat. But that was too sudden, too frantic, too much like the one-night stands he’d had with men picked up from bars. He eased Leon away from his cock, silencing his whimper with a hungry kiss as he pinned the boy to the bed again, catching both his wrists in one hand and pinning them up against his head as he did, grinding against him slowly. It made Leon go wild, whimpering into his mouth and bucking up against him. “Oh god, Frank. God, please….!”

Frank shifted to one side, stroking back behind Leon’s balls to slide one finger up into him again, feeling a rush of arousal at the little helpless moan it pulled from Leon’s throat, at the way he rocked up against Frank’s fingers. “Oh yes. Please more….”

Frank folded a second finger with the first, working them carefully back into the heat of Leon’s body, stretching him open in slow thrusts. He let himself kiss Leon’s throat again, sucking gently and nipping at the skin. “This what you wanted, little one? Just want to be held down so I can tease this sweet little ass of yours?”

Leon whimpered at the words, trying to rock onto Frank’s fingers more. “I want you to fuck me. Oh god, I need you.”

The words made him very much want to push Leon back and do just that. Frank forced himself to draw a deep breath to try and calm himself, still working his fingers inside Leon, twisting them just so to tease up against the young man’s sweet spot. Leon gave a breathless cry, arching up against him, trying to press his thigh to Frank’s cock encouragingly.

“We can just continue like this,” Frank murmured, trying to ignore the fact that his body was screaming at him for more. “You want me to fuck you with my fingers and suck you off until you come in my mouth?”

Leon drew a shuddering gasp, almost trembling underneath him. “Oh god, I love that you’re dirty. I wanna fuck, Frank, please. Want to feel that amazing thick cock inside me, please….”

“Just don’t want to hurt you,” Frank breathed in reply, at the same time slicking a third finger and working the tip inside. He waited as he felt Leon tense under him, rubbing gently, slowly relaxing and stretching him open. He claimed Leon’s mouth as he did, kisses warm and slow and deep and encouraging. “You’re so tight….”

“Haven’t been with any of your kith before,” Leon admitted breathlessly, giving a throaty groan as Frank’s fingers slid deeper. “But I want you so bad. Please, Frank. Need you to fuck me, need that gorgeous thick cock inside me. Please….”

“Oh hell…” Frank kissed him hard just to stop the infuriatingly arousing words, working him open a little more hurriedly. He eased his fingers away to slick his cock, releasing Leon’s hands and slipping between his thighs, pushing them up to his chest and taking a moment to look down at him: small and flushed and wanton underneath him. “God, you’re so beautiful,” he breathed, and leaned down to catch Leon’s mouth with his own as he began to press inside him slowly. It was hard to stay calm when he felt so good, so hot and tight around the head of his cock as his body clenched and fluttered around him at the intrusion. Leon’s fingers dug into his shoulders, heels resting at the small of his back to encourage more.

“God you’re big…!” Leon’s voice was a whimper, but still he reached up to claim Frank’s mouth in a kiss, breathing hard against his mouth. “More. More, please. You won’t break me. Oh god, fuck me…!”

Frank forced himself to hold back despite his pleas, rocking deep inside him in slow thrusts until Leon was fairly incoherent under him, squirming and trying to rock up against him, cock pressed hard against Frank’s stomach. “Oh god yes, you fill me up so good, god - !”

“Shhh…” Frank kissed him softly, starting to move with a little more intent, drawing back a little to thrust deeper, each cant of his hips drawing a little whimpering groan from Leon’s lips. He let his head fall to the pillows beside Leon’s, catching his hands again and pinning them to the bed, sucking and nipping at his throat breathlessly. “Feel so good, little one. You’re so tight, oh god….” He shifted closer, angling to rock deeper inside him, groaning as he angled to hit up against Leon’s sweet spot, making the boy cry out helplessly and shudder around him, hands clenched at Frank’s. He continued until everything was eclipsed but the pleasure between them, until there was nothing but Leon’s helpless, wordless cries of pleasure with each thrust, his body shuddering , tense on the edge of climax. Frank bit his own lip to try and hold back, trying to keep an even rhythm as he rocked deep into the intoxicating heat of his lover’s body. “Going to come for me, Leon? Come on, little one. Come for me.”

Leon gave a choked cry, fingers clenching almost painfully tight on Frank’s hands, and he bucked up against Frank’s cock even more frantically. A few more thrusts was all it took before he was coming between them, body shuddering around his cock as he came slick and warm against Frank’s stomach. Frank let go of control, finally letting his passion take what it wanted, thrusting hard through Leon’s climax as he reached his own, and in that moment he couldn’t think of anything brighter or more beautiful in the world than Leon.

He eased away carefully as he started to come down, breathing hard, and placed a soft kiss to Leon’s mouth before releasing his hands and sliding down his body. He ran his tongue over the young man’s stomach with a soft, appreciative moan, licking away a streak of come before pushing Leon’s thighs up higher again, kissing behind his sack and running his tongue over his well used hole. He gave a soft moan against him, licking over him again and again and pushing his tongue inside, tasting the salty bitter slick of his own seed against Leon’s skin.

“Oh god….” Leon stroked a trembling hand over his hair, trying to catch his breath, finally tugging Frank away with a soft whimper. “Enough. Enough, oh god….”

Frank chuckled softly, pressing a warm kiss to the inside of one thigh before letting them ease down. He moved to lie against his side, curling around Leon and pressing a soft kiss to his hair. “Was that what you wanted?”

“God, yes.” Leon gave a soft, breathless chuckle, nestling his face into the crook of Frank’s neck. “Everything I’d ever wanted and more.”

“Then you still want to stay?” The words were soft, spoken before Frank could stop himself, but Leon only curled closer, wrapping one arm around his chest.

“Of course.” Leon pressed a kiss to his chest. “It’s what I’ve wanted for a very long time.”

Frank shifted to look down at him, relaxed and sated, lips bruised pink from their passion. He stroked his fingers through Leon’s hair and over his cheek, watching Leon’s eyes fall closed in pleasure. Then they opened again. “May I stay?”

Frank nodded slowly, finding one of Leon’s hands with his own and lifting it to his lips. He held Leon’s questioning gaze. “On my life and honor I swear myself to thee. From this day forward I will stand by thy side as thine protector. I will guard thee from harm at any cost and keep thee well until thou releaseth me from this oath or until I draw my last breath.”

Leon’s hand tightened on his, his eyes growing bright. “You don’t have to do that,” he whispered, as if not trusting his voice. Frank shook his head, pressing a soft kiss to each eyelid and tasting salt.

“You told me that you’ve watched me, that you know me. This is who I am. I swore to be your mother’s subject, but my oath is only for you,” he replied softly, not resisting when Leon pulled him back down for a trembling kiss.

He’d spoken the words a hundred times since then, murmured softly against Leon’s skin as they made love, in quiet moments together when he couldn’t describe the depths of his love in any other way. “I’ll always protect you,” he murmured against Leon’s hair, looking out at the sea as they moved through the water and the low-hanging clouds that shadowed their destination.

“Are you worried what we might find?” Leon asked softly, curling back into his embrace. They’d lost all contact from this freehold almost two months ago, which was a concern in and of itself, but on top of that they’d started to receive information through mortal channels of a series of murders that could be far more sinister than a simple battle for ownership of a freehold. And then a request for help had come from the leader of a nearby Selkie glen, along with a chilling tale of bloodshed. Freehold leaders had met, and after much debate, Leon’s petition to investigate had been granted, much to his mother’s fear and pride. He was ideal, he’d told the fae. It would be easy to transfer in a pair of police officers from a highly respected homicide unit. Leon’s birthright would give him the ability to see and investigate fae without the weakness of a fae soul that could be hurt with magical weapons. And Frank would be by his side at every step. Once they found out what was going on, they would send word back for more force if needed.

“A little,” Frank admitted, squeezing Leon lightly. “But I think we’ll be just fine if we’re together.”

~~~


	9. Chapter 9

The Slaugh had killed Michelle, and left her body strewn across the floor of a hotel room, mutilated for real this time. Daniel didn’t ask where they’d found the man they’d brought in or if he was any relation to the girl. He just injected him with the enchantment they forced him to prepare, trying very hard not to think about what he was doing and why.

They did the same thing to Alison, then Samantha, replacing each girl with a new one as they bled them dry and killed them. Daniel visited each exactly once, just long enough to bring a blanket and a soft, murmured apology, trying to close his ears to their pleas for help. Kathleen O’Shea was next, she whispered to him, begging him to help her escape and go home. Simone Shaunessy, Beth Mulligan. He couldn’t do anything for any of them.

On the night they killed Kathleen he went with Mr. Hand out into the city at his bidding, following him without really looking. He didn’t pay attention to the man that Mr. Hand cornered or the enchantment he used to send the human into a deep slumber, just helped him bundle the man into the back of their van to take him back to the freehold. He’d do the injection there – it was easier, that way, faster, and saved Daniel from having to see the dead girl’s bodies – then Mr. Hand and the others would take him to whatever dump site they’d selected for this staging.

In the middle of the Concensus, they strapped the unconscious man to the rack they used to torture the women. Daniel smoothed the hair off his forehead with a soft sigh. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, just as he always did to the girls. “I’m truly sorry.” Then he drove the syringe into his forehead just so, injecting him with the enchantment, forcibly penetrating his mind with memories that should have never been his.

It made him feel sick.

Tucking the syringe away, he slipped out of the Consensus and back through the halls of the freehold. He felt weary, bone weary and hopeless, the constant headache throbbing at the back of his mind, overwhelming any hope of ever seeing his loved ones again. But he had to keep doing this, had to protect John and Ben. So he indulged in the one thing that could possibly lift his spirts, quietly slipping into the hall where the Slaugh were keeping his lover enchanted and asleep.

Then he stopped short.

The table where John had been laid out on was empty, tingling with the remaining shards of magic that had held him there.

John Murdoch was no-where to be found.

~~~~

When John woke up, he was alone and naked in a chipped porcelain tub filled with tepid, cloudy bathwater. The room was cold around him, dirty and in a state of disrepair like something out of a horror movie. He sat up with a start, water sloshing over the edge of the tub and onto chipped, green ceramic tile, and tried to take stock of his surroundings, to make everything make sense in his mind.

Everything was a complete blank. How had he gotten there?

He got out of the bath, slipping on the wet tiles and narrowly avoiding falling, crossing to the dirty vanity and wiping the steam off the mirror to stare at his face. Green eyes, dark curls. It seemed somehow strange, like something wasn’t quite right, and he pulled away, closing his eyes and trying to remember again.

There was nothing. No past, no history, no identity.

There was a pile of clothes folded on the chair by the bathroom - black, slim fit jeans, boxers, a gray button down shirt with black stripes. The seemed to be clean, so he slipped into the boxers and jeans, finding that they hugged his hips and thighs perfectly. Were these his clothes? Shrugging into the shirt he paused, running his fingers over the fabric. The black stripes were flocked, the fabric soft and fuzzy under his fingers, and it was somehow comforting. He buttoned up the shirt and pulled on the black socks and boots, leaving the bathroom and finding himself in what seemed to be a hotel room. There was a black suit jacket hanging in the closet, and when he slipped a hand into the jacket pocket he found a thin black leather wallet with a drivers license with his picture on it. John Murdoch.  
There was a picture slipped in beside it, a snapshot from when it looked like he’d been much younger. He was standing somewhere bright and warm looking with a woman with long dark hair and a contagious smile. Who was she?

Something pulled at his mind, a fragment of a memory. Being at the beach, a small cottage by the water. A pier jutting out into the ocean cover. The girl at the end, long dark hair in contrast against the brightness of the sun and sea. Was that home?

He pulled on the jacket again, hearing a buzzing and finding a cell phone in the other pocket. He stared at the display. Daniel. Daniel?

He hit the answer button.

"John? Are you there?"

"Who is this?"

"I'm a friend, and a doctor. I know you're confused, frightened. There's been an accident, your memory was erased. I can help you. Tell me where you are."

The voice was a little familiar, but why? John couldn't help but feel panicked. Was he really a friend? He looked around the room. "I - - think I'm in a hotel, it's dark outside, I..." His eyes fell on a woman's shoe, sticking out from the other side of the bed. No, not a shoe... A foot. He stepped closer slowly, stomach knotting with dread as the scene unfolded.

A woman, dead. Blonde, hair tousled, head twisted to one side, eyes glassy and listless. And she was naked, her pale skin mutilated with bloody spirals carved into her skin. "Oh my god."

"What's wrong?"

"There's a dead girl, a dead - a dead naked girl with - with spirals - "

"Oh god." The man on the phone sounded panicked immediately. “You have to get out of there. You have to get out, now.”

“Get out? I don’t even know where I am. Why am I in a room with a dead girl?”

“They’ll know you’re there, they’ll be coming for you. They’ll stop at nothing to reach you. You can’t let them find you, John. Your life depends on it. You have to leave, now.”

Admittedly, he didn’t particularly want to spend another moment in the room with the dead woman. He stepped out of the door to the room, glancing down the hall to see the elevator stopping on the floor, the glass in the doors revealing three pale, bald men in black coats and brimmed hats. One of them appeared to have a body slung over his shoulder. Something about them told John to run, and he took off around the corner with a surge of panic, finding the door to the stairwell and darting into it and down. He’d shoved the phone in his coat pocket and could hear the faint, urgent murmur of the man’s voice. Too loud, he thought, and fumbled in his pocket to switch off the phone.

He slipped into the hotel lobby, narrowly avoiding being spotted by two more bald men that were dressed similarly to the ones he’d seen in the elevator. Goth skinheads, his brain supplied from somewhere. The term was strange, and something told him that there was more to these people than just being rebellious and wearing black, but after the Doctor’s warning he didn’t care to stick around and find out. He slipped out one of the front doors of the hotel and slipped into the throngs of people hurrying to and fro on the street, walking quickly away from the hotel.

When he was several blocks away he stopped, standing at the edge of the harbor and looking out over the water and the boats moored there. They were all battened down against, he assumed, the rain – the sky was unusually overcast, dark clouds hanging low and giving the city a strange, twilight-like appearance, and the damp ground made him think that it had been very damp here for some time. He took the cell phone from his pocket and considered it for a moment. The call had been ended sometime between leaving the hotel room and reaching here, and he wondered whether or not he should call the man back. A friend, he’d said. A doctor. Was he sick? Is that why his entire memory was a blank?

Why were those creepy bald men in black coming after him? And why had there been a dead woman in the hotel room?

People could track you with your cell phone, John remembered suddenly, along with the warning from the doctor on the phone. They’ll stop at nothing to reach you.

Better to be safe than sorry.

He pulled his arm back and let the phone go, sailing through the air and down into the harbor water with a satisfying plunk. Then he turned away.

It was time to find someplace safe.

~~~

Ben had started going back to work for the sole purpose of trying to reconnect with Angie. She was sweet, just like she’d been the first time she met him, but still didn’t remember her life from before. He kept trying to jog her memory with things before, names of people, things he’d instructed her on. Sometimes she would stop and think about it, eyes narrowed slightly and unfocused as if listening to a far-away song. But she’d inevitably shake it off; things would continue as normal.

Sometimes Larry stopped in and stayed with him, trying to help him with Angie. It was less frustrating, then. Somehow Larry’s presence always reassured him.

“It feels like this is never going to fucking end,” Ben muttered as they walked the few blocks from the train station to his apartment building. It had started to drizzle again, and he pulled up the hood of his raincoat, pushing water off of his forehead. “We’re never going to get the freehold back, we’re never going to get our friends back, and everything’s always going to be dark and fucking damp.”

Larry slipped a hand into his, squeezing gently, but his gaze was worried. “Don’t give in to those thoughts,” he said softly. “You said the Selkie sent for help, right? We’ll have help. We’ll get things back to the way they used to be.”

Ben closed his eyes for a moment and nodded, hand tightening on his. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just… it’s just becoming more and more difficult to keep up hope.” He let go of his hand to punch in the code for the front door and slipped inside, shaking the rain off his coat.

Larry ran a hand through his wet hair, before giving a shake all over, a little like a dog, scattering water on the walls and carpet. Then he gave Ben a grin that managed to still hold some of its former joy. “I know. But it’ll happen. I have faith in us.”

“Love can’t move mountains,” Ben replied, taking his hand again anyway before starting up the stairs.

“Who says?” Larry tugged him back as they reached the door to his apartment, turning to press him up against the wall beside the door and leaning in to catch his mouth in a warm kiss. “You’re amazing, I’m amazing, love makes it exponentially more amazing. Amazing cubed. I mean, just look at the sex.”

Ben gave a soft laugh, relaxing into his embrace. “The sex is really fucking good.”

“See? Amazing cubed.” Larry slipped his hands into the front of Ben’s coat and stroked his hands up his sides, sucking lightly on his bottom lip. “And I think I know just the thing to revive your wilted spirits….”

“Hey, I don’t have wilted anything,” Ben replied with a little mock growl, hands slipping down to cup his lover’s ass and pull him closer.

Larry laughed softly against his mouth, low and promising. “Just something to warm us up, then. A nice, hot steamy shower, just the two of us and a bottle of lube….”

Ben drew a soft breath against his mouth. “That sounds perfect.” He pulled away regretfully to unlock the door to his apartment, heading inside and stopping short.

The girls were already home, seated around the kitchen table with steaming cups of tea and the sari-clad form of Serra. She looked up as they entered to give them a warm smile. “Well met once again, Ben. And this must be Larry.”

Larry grinned and bowed low, hanging up his coat before joining them in the kitchen. “My reputation precedes me.”

“Not by much,” May replied with a smile, shaking her head. “I was just telling Serra what a good mentor you’ve been to me.”

Larry laughed and shrugged, actually looking self conscious. “Well, it’s a lot easier when you have such a good foundling.”

Ben hung up his coat as well, joining him in the kitchen and taking the steaming cup of green tea that Anna offered him, blowing on it before taking a cautious sip. “It’s good to see you, Serra. Do we have any news?”

At that, Serra looked a little apologetic. “Some, but not as much as I’d hoped. The freehold in the City of Apples has sent a pair of their best to investigate and assess the situation. I gave them all the information we had and tried to convince them to send more help, but….”

“It’s all right,” Ben replied, though the revelation made him angrier than he wanted to admit. “It’s not your fault. I appreciate your help.”

Serra nodded. “Thank you. The pair that they sent are police officers in real life, so we will have access to some assistance from mortals, whether they realize it or not. They’ve been sent to investigate the murders. They should have arrived early today… I’m supposed to meet with them tomorrow. I was hoping you would come with me, Ben.”

Ben swallowed down half the tea in one gulp, grimacing a little at the intensity of the heat but letting it warm him. “Me?”

“You know the most about the situation. And the Inspector is of your kith.”

Somehow the knowledge relieved him. Ben nodded. “Sure. I’ll definitely go with you.” Before he could say more the cell phone in his pocket began to buzz. Taking it out, a glance at the call display was enough to make him fumble for the button to answer as soon as possible. “Daniel? Oh god, where the hell are you? Are you safe?”

“Ben. I only have a moment.” Daniel’s voice was urgent, interrupting him. “John’s somewhere in the city. You must help me find him.”

“In the city?” Ben’s eyebrows knit as he took in the information. “How? I thought the Slaugh were keeping him asleep?”

“They were,” Daniel replied quickly. “He’s woken up somehow, he must have wayfared into the city. Worse than that, he managed to put himself right into one of their body dump sites, so chances are the police are going to be looking for him, too. If you find him, keep him with you and call me immediately.”

“Keep him with us? How are we supposed to do that if he doesn’t even remember us?”

“I have to go,” Daniel said in a rush, “I love you.” Then the phone went dead.

Ben clicked his cell off and tucked it in his pocket, slowly looking over at the others. “Lord Murdoch somehow managed to wake himself up and wayfare out of the freehold. Daniel’s asked us to find him. I don’t suppose any of you have any ideas?”

“We can leave notes at his apartment,” May started. “Everything you did for Larry. Do we know where his apartment is? Anna, what did he do for work?”

Anna gave a little shake of her head, looking more worried. “John and I have never needed to work in the real world. Our parents left us with enough property and investment income that he’s always just lived off of that. I work to inspire more humans, but John mostly just takes care of the freehold.”

“But there has to be somewhere he’ll go back to, isn’t there? Something that he will sense as safe?”

“No.” Larry cut them off, voice low and serious. “Think about it. John isn’t like you and I, Ben. He was born into the freehold, like Anna. He’s always been a fae, he’s always seen things with a changeling’s eyes. When the Slaugh killed him he lost his entire life. He’ll be lucky to even remember his name.”

May’s eyebrows knit together. “How can we help when he won’t even remember us? How’s he supposed to trust us?”

“Make him remember,” Ben found himself saying, looking over to Larry and holding his gaze. “We’re all his friends. There has to be some kind of emotional connection that lasts beyond the memory loss. He’ll be looking for answers. Give him what he’s looking for.”

Anna looked up at Larry as well, voice soft. “What was it like for you? What did you remember?”

Larry’s full lips pursed slightly as he thought. “It was strange,” he said slowly, giving his head a little shake. “It was… scary. Really fucking scary. I knew I was missing things. I’d try to think about things and there’d just be… these big holes of blank. And there were things that felt right, but I didn’t know why.” He looked to Anna. “You’re his sister. There might be something there that will let him feel connected to you. With friends… I guess we can just hope that it’s strong enough.”

“Lovers?” Serra asked, looking up at them, but Ben shook his head.

“My brother’s still trapped with the Slaugh, from what I can tell. Other than that… was there anyone before Daniel?”

Larry gave a wry half grin and a little shrug, leaning back against the kitchen countertop behind him. “I was the head of his personal guard. You don’t forget sex with a Satyr all that easily.”

Anna nodded thoughtfully. “So we split into teams of two, then. May and I and you and Ben. We’ll go through the city until we find him.”

“It’ll be like searching for a needle in a haystack,” Larry noted with a little frown, shaking his head. “Even if we all split up, there’s no way that the four – or even the five of us, in a city this big….”

“Perhaps we can recruit more assistance,” Serra suggested softly, looking up from her tea. “The contacts I told you about – they are working with the police force here. Perhaps we could let the police believe that Murdoch may be the killer they are looking for. Then we’ll have the entire city police force at our disposal. If they find him our contact will know, and all we’ll have to do is get to him first, make him remember and break him free.”

Ben looked down at her in astonishment. “Make them believe he’s a serial killer?”

“A suspect,” she agreed. “We can clear his name easily enough afterwards. And our contact will know the truth.” She opened her handbag, looking through and pulling out a slim silver cell phone. “I think we need to see him now, Ben.”

Ben nodded, as much as he didn’t like it and truthfully wanted nothing more than to retreat to the shower with Larry and hide from this nightmare for a few hours. But Daniel needed him. And so did Murdoch. “Make the call.”

~~~


	10. Chapter 10

Their first day in the city had been a whirlwind of activity. Getting caught up on the Serial Killer case had been the biggest part of it – interfacing with the detectives already working on the case, filling out paperwork and getting security clearances. Leon had taken over everything organizational like a pro as he always did, getting everything taken care of behind the scenes and at the same time schmoozing the essential members of the department – evidence, lab techs, clerks, and other officers and detectives – leaving Frank to concentrate on the task at hand.

The case, frankly, was a mess. A nightmare, even, and the department was at their wits end trying to figure things out.

That the small group of cases was the work of a serial killer was undeniable. Victimology was textbook – all women in their early to mid twenties, all blonde and toothsome, and for the most part they were all in occupations that were mid to high risk – an exotic dancer, a truck stop waitress, a street walker, a high priced escort and one unfortunate university student. Each woman had been found in a seedy hotel, motel, or in one case an abandoned house, and they were all mutilated with strange, ritualistic spirals that had been carved into their skin after death. They were all found dead five to nine days after disappearing, and from the timelines, Frank had determined that whoever the killer was he seemed to be always keeping three of them at a time, replacing each one with a new victim after killing the last. Perhaps there was some kind of ritual, some kind of role these women were playing for the killer.

Or killers.

Where the victimology ended was where the chaos began. While who they were, how they were taken and how they died was the same, was strange was how they were found, and who found them. In most cases they were found by a man who had absolutely no connect to them, but swore up and down that they clearly remembered killing the woman they were found with. They were all a complete psychological mess, mentally closer to victims themselves than killers, and their memories of each killing overlapped and contradicted themselves. He attempted one interview of the man found with the most recent murder victim and walked out of it with nothing more than a splitting headache, completely unable to get a clear picture of the killing that the man was certain he remembered.

When Leon finally interrupted the team with a cheerful smile and a declaration that they were required to go check into the hotel now and retire for the night Frank was more than a little relieved. It wasn’t completely unheard of in homicide for the more senior detectives to be so caught up in their work that it was necessary for their assistants to also become their handlers to keep them in line, making sure they left the office, ate, and got enough rest to keep them functional and sane. Leon embraced the role with enthusiasm and was far more effective than anyone else Frank had ever worked with… though that probably had more to do with his inability to resist the young man’s big brown eyes and hopeful smile, and the promise of what would happen if he was a good detective and went home on time….

Leon checked in to the hotel while Frank parked the car and loaded himself up with luggage, meeting Leon in the lobby and following him into the elevator. The hotel was simple, comfortable and within department budget, and more importantly, discreet.

Leon knew better than to try and take the bags from him, and instead swiped open the hotel room door and held it open while Frank pulled everything inside. Then he kicked off his boots, crossing to one of the queen beds and throwing back the covers before flopping down onto it with an appreciative sigh. “I love hotels. I love hotels with two beds. One to fuck on and one to sleep in.”

Frank chuckled softly, setting their suitcases on the two stands that sat on either side of the room’s TV. “And which of those activities comes first?”

“Which do you think?” Leon hopped out of bed with an impish smile, catching both of Frank’s hands in his and pulling them around his waist to place them firmly on his own ass. “I think the schedule for tonight, sir, is for you to give me a proper thorough ravishing, and then for us to order room service and eat it in bed completely naked. Then we have sex in the shower. Then we sleep in the clean bed.” He grinned, wide and adorable.

Frank pulled him close with a soft laugh, all too happy to have his hands full of his lover’s firm ass, and leaned down to indulge in a warm kiss. “You plan everything out for me so efficiently.”

Leon gave a soft groan against his mouth, stroking his arms up around Frank’s shoulders and arching up to kiss him again as he molded his body against his. “Just trying to earn my Christmas bonus, sir.”

Frank let his hands stroke up and down Leon’s backside, stroking as much of him as he could reach before returning to cupping his pert, perfect ass, kneading gently. Leon had only grown more playful as their relationship went on, and Frank liked it far more than he ever expected. “I think you’ve more than earned your bonus, love. Even without all the sex.”

“But you haven’t even asked what my bonus is.” Leon’s hands smoothed over his chest, starting to loosen his tie and unbutton his shirt.

Frank happily went to work on Leon’s uniform, tugging the buttons undone and slipping a hand up under his undershirt to stroke his bare chest. “What would you like for your Christmas bonus, my love?”

“Mmmmm…” Leon’s hum was warm and approving. “I haven’t decided yet. I’m kind of thinking about that song with the box with the hole in it and the cock inside? I would really, really like your dick in a box for Christmas.”

Frank drew back a little, eyebrows knitting together a little. “I’m afraid I have no clue what the hell you’re talking about.”

Leon chuckled. “It’s a comedy skit. The ultimate present is to cut a hole in a box at put your dick in it. Still attached to you, of course. With a big sparkly bow.”

Frank tried to picture it. “The people that put on this skit… they were pooka, weren’t they?”

That sent Leon into peals of laughter, and he reached up to throw his arms around Frank’s neck again, hugging him tightly and half hanging off of him. “Yeah, probably. God, this isn’t nearly as dirty as I intended it to be. I mean to say I just really want your cock.”

His happiness was, as always, contagious, and Frank chuckled against his hair, scooping him up in his arms and moving them both to the bed. He knelt over Leon, nuzzling along his jaw before starting to kiss down his neck, hands stroking over his hips and sides and pushing his undershirt up to his armpits. “Why are you asking for something you already have? You know I’ll always do whatever you ask of me.”

Leon gave a low groan, hips rocking up against him as his hands moved to pull off Frank’s tie, starting on the buttons of his coat and jacket. “Even if I want spend hours licking and sucking and stroking you, making you come in my mouth and all over my face and – “

“Shh.” Frank cut off his words firmly with a hungry kiss, fingers moving to tug open the belt and fly of Leon’s uniform pants and unzipping the slacks where they strained over his erection. He yanked his slacks and boxers down with one strong pull, smiling at Leon’s breathless, half-surprised moan as he helped him kick them off eagerly. “Dirty little boy.”

Leon’s breath came faster as Frank licked down his chest, lavishing attention on his stomach and belly button, licking along the lines of his abs. “You like it when I’m dirty….”

“I like you every way possible,” Frank pointed out, nuzzling the base of Leon’s cock with a little appreciative moan, stroking hands over his thighs. He paused long enough to shrug out of his dress shirt and undershirt, then pushed Leon’s thighs up almost to his chest so that he could nuzzle the inside of his them and back behind his balls unimpeded. “And if your Christmas bonus is getting to be dirty, then in return I definitely get to do this,” he murmured, nuzzling down further and drawing his tongue between Leon’s ass cheeks.

“Oh god - !” He could feel Leon tense under him at the sensations as Frank began to lick and tease him, tongue tracing around the tight, tart flesh of his hole before licking over it again and again. He loved the way this made Leon tremble, the soft, incredulous sounding little moans he gave as Frank licked and sucked at his hole, finally pushing his tongue inside, fucking him in slow thrusts. One of Leon’s hands stroked over his hair restlessly, body shifting, squirming a little under him to encourage more sensation. “God, sir…!”

Frank had managed to grab the lube from one of the suitcase pockets when he’d set them out, and he pulled back to slick one finger and slide it into his lover, fucking him slowly with it. “So if you get to be a dirty little boy with my cock then I think I’m going to do to this… stroke and lick and eat this sweet little ass while I watch you jerk yourself off, tease you until you come all over your chest….” He liked to think he’d gotten better at this, letting his desires roll of his tongue, and from the way it always seemed to drive Leon wild, rocking up against his fingers and whining helplessly, Frank could only assume it was working. He licked a stripe from Leon’s balls up the length of his erection before tracing his tongue around the finger that penetrated his young lover. “Touch yourself now for me, love. I want to watch you come. Then I’ll fuck you into the bed and make you come again.”

“Oh god.” Leon wrapped one trembling hand around his own cock, pulling on it slowly, whimpering as Frank pulled his finger away and went back to work, burying his tongue inside his lover’s ass. It was strange, but he’d never had much reason or opportunity to do this before Leon. Now he loved it, loved making Leon come undone completely, loved how lax he’d be from orgasm when he finally drove his cock up into him, fucking him until he hardened and came again. There was nothing better than a whole night spent spoiling Leon.

Frank alternated the tease of his tongue with fucking his lover with his fingers, easing two in and crooking them up to just brush against his prostate, licking around the digits where they entered Leon’s body. He paused when he eased the third one into him, watching appreciatively as he slowly pressed them deeper, watching as his asshole stretched pink and tight around his fingers, as Leon himself was left breathless and whimpering and writhing against him.

“Oh god, Frank - !” Leon was never more beautiful than he was like this, flushed and panting and completely wanton, fingers slick with arousal as they stroked up and down the hard shaft of his straining cock. “Please, oh god, more. Need your cock. Please fuck me.”

Frank eased his fingers back before thrusting them deep again, twisting them just so to make Leon cry out and jerk underneath him. “Come for me first.” Leon’s whimper of reply was helpless and almost desperate, but Frank held firm, free hand moving to cup his balls as he continued to fuck him. “Come on, my boy. I know you want to come for me. Want to watch your come spurt all over your fingers and chest. Can you do that for me?”

“I – “ Leon’s voice broke on a cry at the next thrust of Frank’s fingers, crooked to tease up inside him just right. “Fuck please, god please, please - !”

“Look at me,” Frank murmured, catching his lover’s gaze and holding it, free hand moving from his balls to curl around his fingers and stroke with him. “Come for me. Now.”

He loved making Leon completely undone with pleasure, loved the way he arched up against his fingers as he came, lips parted to a breathless cry. He stroked him slowly through the last shudders of orgasm, easing his fingers away. Then he leaned down to suck the last drops of orgasm from the head of his cock, licking away the streaks of come on his shaft and stomach before moving down further to lick around his asshole.

Leon gave a soft whimper, panting, squirming just a little under him. “You tease….”

“Not a tease if I deliver,” Frank replied with a smirk, moving back up to kiss him hungrily, fingers stroking over his chest and thighs. “Need a moment, love?”

“Not in the least.“ Leon flashed a breathless grin, shifting so that he was kneeling on the bed. “Come on, sir….” He gave his ass an intentional wiggle. “You promised you’d fuck me… now get that delicious huge cock in my ass. I wanna be spread wide and fucked into the bed….”

“Oh fuck.” It was hard to keep control of his desire with Leon like this, and Frank moved behind him without delay, stripping off his pants and boxers and fumbling with the lube as he slicked his cock, pressing the head against Leon’s well stretched hole. He let the head breech him, then pulled back, doing it again just to watch his cock disappear into his lover’s body. Even after coming Leon was still tight, body hugging his cock as Frank slid deeper, finally burying himself in his lover’s body.

“Oh god, yes….” Leon shuddered underneath him, rocking back against him, hips undulating to fuck himself on Frank’s cock just a little while he waited for Frank to take the reins. “God, sir, you feel so good. You’re so big, there’s nothing else like it, fuck….!”

Frank let himself curl around Leon’s body, nuzzling the crook of his neck and sucking on the skin, worrying gently with his teeth where the marks would be safely hidden by his shirt collar. “You’re absolutely intoxicating,” he murmured, drawing his tongue up Leon’s neck just so, rewarded by a soft, shivering moan of pleasure. More than anything he wanted to just let go, to grab Leon’s hips and use him hard and fast until he was spent. It was agonizing to take his time like this, slowly drawing back and pushing deep. But it was worth it, for the breathless gasp of pleasure each thrust pulled from Leon’s mouth, for the pleasure of being buried deep inside him, each thrust stroking his passion to higher levels.

Leon always tried to encourage more, rocking back against him with little pleading whimpers, gasping each time their bodies came together. They were both sweat-streaked and trembling, aching from pleasure and the torture of restraint before Frank finally slipped a hand to curl around Leon’s erection, moving a little harder as he started to coax him to full hardness again. Leon dropped his head and shoulders to the bed underneath him, resting on his forearms, fingers clenched at the blankets. “Oh god, yes. God, Frank, fuck me - !”

Frank let himself give in a little, closing his eyes to the pleasure of hard, deep thrusts, letting the force of it push Leon’s cock against his palm. “Nothing better than this,” he groaned, picking up the pace a little. “So perfect, love. God, feel so good….”

Leon gave a whimpered assent, shuddering under him as he tried to move with Frank as much as he could. “Please more,” he gasped, cock slick in Frank’s hand as he stroked him, “Please make me come.”

“Such a good boy,” Frank murmured in his ear, knowing how wild it would drive him, and he picked up the pace, burying himself deep inside him again and again, each thrust pulling a breathless cry of pleasure from Leon’s lips as they came together just right. In moments Leon was spilling in his fingers, crying out as his body clenched and shuddered around Frank’s cock, and that was more than he could take. He let go of control, hips stuttering into him a few more times before his own passion reached its pinnacle, orgasm shuddering through his body as he spent himself inside his young lover in hot spurts.

Panting, he said nothing for a long moment, just nuzzling up Leon’s neck, placing warm kisses on the skin. Leon pressed back against him silently, catching his breath and making no move to pull away. “I love being like this,” Leon murmured finally, one hand covering Frank’s on the bed. “Love having you on top of me and in me and all around me, love feeling so completely owned and protected….”

Frank pressed a soft kiss just under his ear. “Owned?”

“You own my heart completely,” Leon replied softly, snuggling back into him more.

Frank smiled, nuzzling his skin and trailing soft, adoring kisses along it. “You’re my everything, you know. I love you more than life.”

Leon drew a soft, shivering breath. “Every time you say that I can hardly believe it, it feels so good….” He was cut off by a low buzzing and gave a little mournful sigh. “Your phone.”

“Let it ring,” Frank replied, sucking on his earlobe.

“We’re here on business,” Leon replied, just a little mournfully, wriggling out from under Frank with a soft noise of loss. He found Frank’s jacket on the floor, digging out the blackberry and turning it on. “Inspector Bumstead’s office.”

Frank gave a soft snort at Leon’s idea of what could be considered an office. Though certainly the office would be much nicer if it always had a naked Leon in it. Leon listened for a moment, then gave a wide smile. “Of course, Lady Serra. Yes, we can meet right away.”

Resisting the urge to sigh, Frank got up off the bed and started to tidy up, tucking away the tell-tale bottle of lube and grabbing strewn clothes off the floor. He listened to Leon give their address and hotel room before clicking off. Then he hopped out of bed, throwing the covers back over the rumpled mess they’d made of the sheets, pausing to let his eyes roam over Frank’s naked body. “Mmm. Maybe we should shower separately. We’ve got about 20 minutes.”

“I have self control,” Frank pointed out, only to have Leon grin at him.

“I don’t. And I usually talk you into giving up yours. Go shower, I’ll take second run. Just leave me a towel.”

“Easy for you to say, these hotel towels are tiny.” Frank disappeared into the bathroom anyway, grabbing a complimentary bottle of body wash and turning on the shower. Leon took his place when he finished, and Frank tried to ignore the knowledge of his lover’s gorgeous body wet and slick with soap, dressing in clean clothes instead and straightening the room. Leon had just finished showering and was pulling on pants when a knock came at the door. He glanced back to Leon. “Just a moment!”

Leon pulled a black polo over his head and shoved his feet into shoes, giving Frank a little nod. He glanced through the spy hole in the door, then unlocked and opened it, giving a smile to the fae that stood on the other side. The woman, he assumed, was Lady Serra, the leader of a glen of Selkie that managed a small vacation island between here and the mainland. The troll that stood behind her was unknown to him, but he seemed honorable, from first glance. He gave a nod to them both. “I’m Frank Bumstead. Please come in.”

“Thank you for coming, Inspector,” the woman gave him a warm smile, slipping in through the door with the man following her. “I’m Serra, I’m the one that sent the request for help to your freehold. And this is Ben of House Liam. The trouble is from his freehold.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Ben’s handshake was firm and capable, but Frank could see him quietly taking in the room, questioning Leon’s presence.

“This is Leon, son of Lady Isyla of the Freehold of the City of Apples,” Frank said, giving a nod to Leon.

“Of course. Kinain. How valuable.” Serra gave a warm smile, offering her hand to Leon. “I met your mother a few years ago, when she travelled to visit our freehold. She was… a beautiful, remarkable woman.”

“Thank you,” Leon replied after a brief pause, a little knowing smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

They listened as Ben and Serra explained what had happened, and as strange as the tale was, Frank had to admit that anything was possible when it came to magic and the drive for power. He nodded slowly as they finished the tale. “So this man, Murdoch, this sleeping fae… he somehow managed to escape from them on his own but hasn’t woken up?”

“If he remembered then he’d be with us,” Ben replied, firm in his conviction. “He was a good lord. He and his sister are the mortal children of the last Lord of the freehold, they’ve been awake almost since birth, and he’s very powerful with magic. The best we can figure out is that his soul is strong enough to make him remember bits and pieces, enough to subconsciously access his magic, perhaps. Certainly enough to fight off the spell that was keeping him asleep and wayfare out of the freehold.”

Frank shook his head. “And you have this knowledge how?”

“We have….” Ben hesitated for a moment. “… a man on the inside.”

There was something in his manner that was a little off, and Frank filed the hesitation away for later examination. “Do you have any idea what these Slaugh want, other than to apparently ravage glamour from all the blonde whores in your city?”

Ben nodded slowly. “We’ve been able to get a little information from our man inside through one of his Chimera. The freehold guards the gateway to a trod, a path through the dreaming that they’re desperate to get access to. They have one of the keys required to open it. The other is safely hidden.”

“If these are Slaugh you have to assume that they know all of this,” Leon said seriously, looking at both of them. “They trade in secrets. If you have a man inside then he’s there because they’re allowing him to be.”

Ben looked more than a little upset by the idea, but made a valiant effort to hide it, giving a nod. “I know. Believe me, it’s something I – we’re – very aware of. But… once a card is in play you can’t very well pull it back, so… we do the best we can. Can you help us find Lord Murdoch?”

“Of course. We’ll head back to the precinct immediately.”

“I’ll get back into uniform,” Leon said with a nod, gathering up the pieces of his uniform and disappearing into the bathroom to change again.

“Is it wise to involve a human in this?” Serra asked quietly as soon as the door to the bathroom was closed. “Even one with fae blood?”

“He’s not just Kinain,” Frank replied, trying not to take offense at the question. “He was raised to be his mother’s child, and he’s inherited enough of her magic with her blood. And I’m here to protect him.”

“You’re oathbound to a human,” Ben realized suddenly, but the words weren’t unkind, and he gave a little respectful bow of the head before asking, “Is he your lover?”

Frank gave a soft laugh and a rueful smile. “Is it that obvious?”

“No,” Ben replied, glancing away, his own smile wistful. “Just familiar to me. I am – I was – oathbound myself. My brother.”

“Your inside man,” Frank realized, the pieces falling into place.

“Lord Murdoch’s consort,” Ben agreed with a soft sigh.

Frank reached out to touch his shoulder. “I will do whatever I can to help you as long as it doesn’t interfere with keeping Leon safe,” he said, holding his gaze. “You have my word on that.”  
“Thank you,” Ben replied, relief in his voice. “It’s appreciated.”

After Leon returned it didn’t take them long to come up with a plan, with a feasible reason to have the police looking for Murdoch without completely incriminating him. Ben placed a phone call, a touch of glamour on the pay phone to alter his voice, giving his name as John and panicking as he confessed to one of the murders that had already been committed. It was enough. Only minutes later Frank’s cell phone rang again, the precinct asking if he could come back to assist with a new development.

“We’ll keep in touch,” Frank replied, tipping his hat to Serra and Ben. “Anything we find out and you’ll be the first to know.”

“Thank-you, and likewise,” Ben replied, giving them a grateful smile, leaving with Serra.

“He seemed so sad,” Leon remarked softly, cuddling up to Frank after the door closed.

“He’s fighting to save his reason for life,” Frank replied, wrapping one arm around Leon’s shoulders and pulling him tight against him.

~~~~


	11. Chapter 11

Somehow, in the frantic madness of discovering John’s absence Daniel had managed to get away, taking advantage of their distraction to slip out of the freehold and into a perfectly timed human cab as it drove by. He wasn’t sure there was a need for him to stay anymore – if there was, it certainly wasn’t as important as finding John.

In the back of the cab he pulled his pocket watch out of his vest, clicking open the cover and mentally guiding the image on the polished inside of the lid. It was easier to control in the freehold, but surely he’d still be able to use it to find John….

“Do we know where we’re going yet?” The cabby asked impatiently, but Daniel ignored the complaint.

“I will in a moment. Just drive. I’m still paying you.” Daniel snapped back, focusing the magic of the seer glass on a desire, a feeling of the familiar. On Love. Finally a familiar figure in a long, dark coat came into view, his form strange without the peaked black ears Daniel was so accustomed to. But it was John, that’s all that mattered. He studied the area around him, trying to identify the bits and pieces of buildings, landmarks, finally spotting the sign of a familiar bar. “The Bard and Banker on Government and Fort, please.” It was close, and seemed to be the direction that John was heading. Hopefully he could catch him….

He paid the cabby hurriedly, over tipping, and got out of the cab. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered more than finding John.

~~~

 

“Where do we go?” May asked quietly as she left the apartment with Anna, and got into the passenger seat of her Yaris.

Anna sat behind the wheel quietly for a moment, a quiet despair behind her dark eyes. “I don’t know. I don’t even know where to begin, May, the city’s so huge. It’s hopeless, we’re so few and the Slaugh are so many….”

“Shh…” May leaned closer, finding her hand and lacing their fingers together, pressing a kiss to her temple. “It’s not hopeless, love. Your brother is strong, even like this. We know him, and we know this city, and Serra will be back with more help soon enough. Just think of some place we can start at, okay? What was significant to him or to the two of you? Where did you spend time outside the freehold growing up?”

Anna paused, opening her mouth again and then closing it, eyebrows kitting together. “… the beach house? I mean, it’s mine now, but we spent many summers there when we were young, before our mother died….”

“Then let’s start there,” May replied with a soft smile. “That sounds perfect.”

~~~

 

John kept to the shadows as he made his way down the street, feeling somehow more than a little conspicuous. Everything around him was almost disorientingly strange; an unknown cityscape mixed with glimpses of the familiar, but when he tried to search his mind for a frame of reference for the familiarity all he came up with was more confusion. Through it all he couldn’t shake the strange feeling of urgency that gripped him, so strong it was almost a panic. There was something he needed to do, something very important. Something that he couldn’t remember, as hard as he tried. It all made his head spin.

He stopped and leaned up against the door of a shop, closing his eyes and letting his head fall back against the glass with a soft thud. It was a little easier, with his eyes closed, to quiet things, and after a few moments he felt like he could continue.

He had amnesia, he could accept that, the term floating out of his memory. Something must have happened, some trauma, some bump on the head. He refused to consider the dead woman in the hotel – though perhaps he’d witnessed her murder? Would that be traumatic enough to cause amnesia? – and tried to turn instead to the familiar.

His wallet was really the only clue he had to his identity, and that wasn’t a whole lot. He had his drivers license verifying his name and appearance, a few credit cards and a handful of twenties, along with a provincial health card, an unmarked electronic swipe card and a membership to something called the Big Echo. He filed that strange information away to try and analyze later.

Taking the photo out of his wallet again, John studied it more closely in the dim light of the streetlights. It was old, he could see that now, scuffed around the edges and creased like it had been in his wallet for years. It was definitely familiar, the face of the girl and the brightness of the beach and his own smile. He turned the photo over, squinting a little to read the faded pencil marks on the back.

_’Shell Beach, June 2002’_

Shell Beach? He ran the name through his mind a few times, whispering it aloud. It seemed real. Was it a vacation destination, or was that where he lived? The city did appear to be on the edge of the ocean, after all. It was a starting point, he decided. He could try it.

He’d just left the door alcove when he heard a soft voice, an uneven, stumbling gait. “John!”

John turned, finding a figure moving towards him, one leg dragging a little against the pavement as he walked. He looked very much the stereotypical librarian, brown suit worn and threadbare, and wire rimmed glasses perched on his nose. He was holding a dented and tarnished brass pocket watch that he tucked into the pocket of the suit vest, almost stumbling as he hurried towards him. “John, thank god. Come with me, quickly. It’s not safe here.”

The voice was familiar, but the man’s appearance just made him more confused. He had a deep cut by one eye that was closed with a few stitches, pulling at the skin over one eye. It was wrong, it was all wrong. He took a half step back, warily. “You were the one that called me in the hotel. Daniel.”

“Yes,” he replied, glancing around in the street with more than a little fear. “Daniel. Or Doctor Schreber, whichever you like. John, please come with me. I am a therapist, I can help you. I can answer all of your questions, just please – “

“I’m not going anywhere without some answers,” John shot back, his own uncertainty in no way reassured by the man’s thinly veiled panic. “Who were those men in the hotel, why did you tell me to run from them? What do they want with me?”

“They are – “ he hesitated. “Very dangerous. We call them Slaugh. They are a very evil, dangerous organization that have been doing horrible things to this city. You know things that could destroy them, you have the ability to bring them down. But I can help you, John. Together we can take care of them, we can make the city safe again. But we cannot stay here, it’s not safe. If they see us – “

“If they see us than what?”

Daniel caught hold of his arm, terror plain in his blue eyes. “Then you don’t want to know what they’ll do to us. Please – “

The contact set off John’s turmoil of uncertainty with a spark of panic. He wrenched his arm from the man’s grasp roughly, jerking away. “Don’t touch me. I don’t know you, how can I know that you’re not working for them? I can’t trust you. I can’t trust anyone.”

“You can.” Daniel’s words were almost a sob. He reached for him again without trying to touch him, palm out in offering, pleading. “John, please. God, love, please remember – “

The sudden wail of a police siren at the end of the street cut off his words, and John froze, staring at the approaching coloured lights. He’d been in a hotel room with a dead body. His fingerprints would be all over. They’d be looking for him.

John darted away and started to run, around the building and into the alley behind him. He could hear the man calling for him, trying to give chase, but his voice faded quickly enough. John ran blindly, keeping to the shadows and alleys as much as he could, finally stopping after running into a pedestrian-only square, when the police siren was nothing more than a faint wail in the distance.

He leaned back against the side of a building, trying to catch his breath, trying to get his bearings. Wherever he was, it was no more familiar than where he’d been last. Then he caught sight of a sign above a storefront across the street.

Tourist Information.

It was better than nothing. The building was closed, he realized as he moved towards it, like everything else was around him, but there appeared to be information in the windows, and a billboard with a large map on it. A red maker. You are here.

It was easy enough to orient himself from the direction he came and the direction he remembered the wharf being in, but none of the landmarks around him seemed familiar. He tried to look for Shell Beach then, instead, following the coast of the river on the map. Finally he found it, a tiny bay right at the edge of the map.

“Going somewhere, Mr. Murdoch?”

John whirled, heart pounding. He’d seen this man before, a glance through an elevator window in the hotel where he’d woken up. If he’d been unsure about the doctor, he knew for certain, somehow, that this man was very, very bad.

He took a few steps backwards as two others materialized from the shadows, looking much the same as the first – pale, stringy guys with shaved hair and black clothes. Skin heads, came the immediate thought, though something at the back of his mind told him that was wrong, that these men were far more dangerous than some street punks. “Who are you?”

The first man smirked. “To you… Mr. Hand. Now, you’ve lead us on quite a chase, Mr. Murdoch. It’s time to come back with us, yes? Sleep. Now.”

John felt something pull at his mind, an overwhelming sense of exhaustion, but he fought it, shaking his head as if to shake it off. He watched Mr. Hand’s eyes narrow, a flash of anger in his eyes, stepping forward threateningly.

“Clever little bastard,” he growled, drawing a switchblade from his belt, the blade springing open with a metallic shing. The other two drew knives as well, tall imposing behind him. “I should kill you. But you’re still useful to us. Come with us and we won’t hurt that pretty little sister of yours or your high class lover. Give up.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” John shot back in a rush, heart pounding faster. “I’ve never seen you before tonight! Just leave me alone!”

Mr. Hand smirked. “Not for a moment, Murdoch. You know, I should have fucked your blue-blooded ass when I had the chance. But I suppose that can be remedied easily enough. Come. Now.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you!” Everything he’d been feeling since he woke up in the bathtub came together all at once – all the confusion and fear and uncertainty and finally anger for being in this situation at all. He felt –something- tingle behind his eyes, and suddenly the three men were flying through the air across the square to land in the pavement in a sprawl.

John didn’t wait to see whether or not they got up.

He tore through the square, heart pounding, trying to get into the shadows and out of sight. Exiting an alleyway, he narrowly avoided being hit by an oncoming cab that screeched to a halt in front of him.

A cab. And he had money.

“Thank you,” John said hurriedly, rounding the car to pull open the door and get in. “I’m so sorry, thank you so much for stopping. Keep driving. Quickly, please.”

The cab driver gave a soft snort, stepping on the gas and continuing down the street. “Where to, buddy?”

“Away,” John replied automatically, trying to figure out where to go. Where would be safe?

The cab driver glanced back at him through the plexi-glass divider, shaking his head a little. “Gotta go somewhere, buddy, can’t just drive around all night.”

John paused for a moment, thinking back to the photo. “Do you know how to get to a place called Shell Beach?”

“Yeah sure, and my GPS will take us anywhere you like. Are you going to a specific condo unit or just the beach?”

Condos? John shook his head slowly, trying to decide. He could start from the beach and work from there, couldn’t he? “Just the beach, please.”

“Sure thing. It’s about twenty minutes,” The driver replied, turning onto a main road and heading away.

As long as it was away from those men, John didn’t really care how long it would take. And just perhaps he could find something familiar at Shell Beach. Perhaps he could figure out what the hell was going on.

~~~

 

“Do you really think he’ll come?” Anna leaned against the porch railing at the back of her cabin – really a small, townhouse style condo - overlooking the sea. May was perched on the railing beside her, hooved feet swinging slowly back and forth, and she stroked a hand over Anna’s hair.

“We’ll find him,” she said, quiet and assured, though it didn’t really answer her question.

Anna sighed, stepping back from the railing and pacing along the porch. “I just feel so helpless, I….”

“Let’s go look, then.” May swung her legs back over the rail jump off, holding out a hand to Anna. “Let’s go for a walk along the beach. “You know it’ll make you feel better.”

Anna hesitated, then nodded, taking May’s hand and following her down the porch steps and through the small garden and back gate. There was a staircase nearby that took them down the small cliffs, and when they reached the bottom Anna slipped out of her sandals, holding them in her free hand as she walked along the edge of the surf in the light of the moon. The cliffs got smaller as they walked, everything flatter, until finally they walked at the edge of a large public park, one that was usually full during the day of people enjoying the beach.

Anna’s hand tightened on May's suddenly, just a little. “Don’t look now,” she said, voice low, “But there’s a shadow by the trees that run along the road. It’s been following us as we walk.”

“Following us?” May waited for a few moments, then turned her head ever so slightly just in time to see a silhouette of a man darting from the cover of one tree to the next. “Oh god, you’re right. What do we do?”

Anna slowed, almost stopping for a moment as she thought. “If it was several Slaugh, they would have attacked us. If it’s just one Slaugh we can take it… right?”

May nodded, understanding her reasoning immediately, and started to head with her towards the place where she’d last seen the man’s shadow. She let Anna walk a little in front of her, smaller, less threatening, but kept her free hand on one of her knives just in case. They were still a few feet away from the shadowed trees when Anna broke from her, running the last few steps. “John!”

It took a moment for May to realize that the frightened human man she was looking at had really once been the Lord of the freehold. But Anna was gentle, unthreatening. “John. It’s me, it's Anna. Do you remember me?”

“I have a picture of you in my wallet,” John replied softly, after a pause. “You’re important to me, but I don’t know how. I – I’ve lost my memories somehow, I can’t – “

“I’m Anna. I’m your sister,” she said softly, letting go of May’s hand and offering her hand to John’s. “The picture is our childhood here at Shell Beach. I have a copy of it in my home, you can come see it if you like. This is May, she’s my girlfriend. Will you come back with us? You’ll be safe there. I promise.”

John seemed to hesitate for a long moment, and then nodded slowly. “Yeah… please. Let’s go.”

~~~

Frank picked up his cell phone. “Bumstead.”

“Inspector, it’s McHenry and Storm. We’ve been staking out the Shell Beach location. Suspect’s been spotted entering one of the condos in the company of two women. Should we engage?”

“Negative. Could lead to a hostage situation. Hold your position until we get there. Out.” Frank was already grabbing his jacket as he clicked off the phone, glancing to Leon who nodded and followed.

“Got a lead at the Shell Beach location,” Frank called out to the dispatcher. “I want you to send over units twelve and eighteen. We’ll meet them there.”

“You know twelve and eighteen are the farthest units away from Shell Beach,” Leon said under his breath as they left the building and headed towards the car.

“That’s the idea,” Frank replied with a smirk, slipping into the driver’s seat and slapping the siren up on the roof as Leon got in, turning on the light and peeling out of the precinct parking lot.

~~~~


	12. Chapter 12

John paced in the living room of the girl who’d called herself his sister. It felt like he’d spent hours at the beach before finally spotting her, and he couldn’t shake the creepy crawling sensation at the back of his spine that told him not to stay in one place for long, not to let the skin-heads catch up with him. But she had to be important, that he couldn’t deny. Not with her being in the picture, not with how strongly he felt when he was with her. Not with how similar they looked to each other. “Do you know what happened? Do you know how I got this way? Why can I hardly remember anything?”

Anna stayed a few feet away from him, though, trying not to interfere with his pacing. She shook her head slowly. “What do you remember?”

John gave a sharp, hard laugh. “Nothing. God, I have nothing. I woke up in a hotel room bath tub with clothes I didn’t recognize as mine but that fit me anyway. And then when I left the bathroom I found – I found this woman on the floor, and she was dead, and she was – she was mutilated, and I…. I ran. There’s these people chasing me, these – these skinhead punks, and I just feel like they’re going to find me no matter what I do, that there’s no way to keep myself safe….”

“We’ll help keep you safe,” Anna reassured him softly. “And you can stay here as long as you want. We’re stronger than we look, May and I.”

May. The other woman had disappeared into the kitchen when they’d arrived, citing her intention to make some tea for them all, but he hadn’t heard anything since. He stopped, then darted past Anna before she could stop him, pushing open the door to the kitchen.

“We’ll keep him here as long as we can,” May had a cell phone to her ear, her voice hushed, the teapot about ready to boil. She froze as the door opened, still holding onto the phone, eyes wide, “John, it’s not what you think….”

John couldn’t bring himself to reply, betrayal and fear clenching at his throat. He’d made a mistake to be here. It was a horrible mistake. He spun for the door. “I have to go.”

“John, please!” Anna tried to catch him as he moved, but he yanked his sleeve out of her grasp and flung open the front door to the condo. “Please, I’m your sister. We weren’t doing anything to harm you. Just please, please – “

John was already gone, giving in to the flight reflex and tearing down her front porch and onto the street. He stopped fast, seeing a mass of figures moving at the end of the street, catching a glimpse of pale skin and shaved heads with black clothing. God. She really had called them.

John turned again and started in the opposite direction at a run, not knowing anything except for the need to get away from the men who were terrorizing him. He moved faster, heart pumping, unaware that the mass of pursuers was splitting in front of the house he’d just been in, several of the men disappearing up into the house while the bulk continued on in pursuit of him. He could see the figures gaining on him, definitely close enough to recognize them as being like the skin heads he’d seen before. Like Mr. Hand, and it brought with it the same clench of terror. His lungs and his legs burned, but still he ran.

Ahead of him a car turned the corner, a sedan with police light stuck on top of the roof through the open driver’s side window. It screeched to a halt in front of him and the passenger door flew open, a voice from inside calling out to him. “Get in!”

John hesitated, looking back to the approaching figures. Could he outrun them and the police as well?

“We’re not here to arrest you and we’re not with them,” called the voice inside the car impatiently. “Get in now before it’s too late!”

Taking a deep breath, John jumped into the backseat and pulled the door behind him, the car speeding off into the night.

~~~

“Well well,” murmured one Slaugh, starting forward slowly to where May stood half- crouched at the kitchen door, Anna safely behind her in the doorway.

“What pretty little birds,” whispered another. “But they’re interfering with our plans.”

“The slut killed some of our men the night we took the freehold,” murmured a third, stepping closer. “She deserves to be punished.”

May looked wildly around at the Slaugh that had invaded the condo. Six of them, too many for her to take out on her own. Her voice was low as she spoke to Anna. “When I engage them, run. Get down to the beach, you’ll be safe in the ocean.”

“I’m not leaving you,” Anna replied, voice low and firm. “I’m staying to help.”

“Anna – “

“Don’t ask me to leave,” she shot back, voice harder. “I’ve lost everything else that’s important to me. Don’t ask me to lose you, too. I’ll get the ones by the door.” Then she was singing, hard, quick words that gathered glamour together into a spell, a huge geyser erupting from the floor to knock the two Slaugh closest to the door off their feet, slamming one into the ceiling. May moved without hesitation, drawing her long knives and engaging the Slaugh that rushed towards them. She managed to draw three of them away from Anna, her mind for the moment reverting to the science of knife fighting, the drills she’d done with her mentor hundreds of time. Focus on your opponents, focus on their weapons. Focus on disarming them, on using their movements against them. She managed to knock the knife free from one of the Slaugh’s hands, catching the other with her second blade, burying it to the hit in his stomach. He fell to the floor, but she didn’t have time to check and see if he’d reverted to being human, dealing with the other two instead.

She could hear Anna’s voice as she struggled, trying to work magic until her voice was suddenly muffled, her cries growing more panicked sounding. “Anna!” Fear distracted her, and though she managed to avoid the first man’s blade it caught her own knife, knocking it into the wall and breaking her hold on it. The other managed to catch her other arm, twisting it up behind her back painfully until she cried out, dropping the knife. She struggled, not caring that the Slaugh that held her were tearing at her dress, not caring about the fingers that caught at the crotch of her panties and ripped them away. Not when she had to get to Anna, had to stop the two men that had pulled her to the floor, one of them holding her arms while the second started to undo his pants.

Then the door slammed open to guns and anger and uniforms. “Freeze, this is the police! Get your hands in the air and step away from the women or we shoot!”

May fell back against the wall as they released her, legs giving out as relief killed the adrenaline that pumped through her veins. She slid down to the wall to the carpet, scrambling over to meet Anna as she moved towards her, pulling May into a tight embrace, trembling against her. May drew a trembling breath, having never been happier to have humans involved in fae matters. “Are you all right?”

“I’m okay,” Anna replied breathlessly, holding her tightly. “Oh god, May. Thank god. And there’ll be less of them now. John will be safe, right?”

“I hope so,” May replied, holding her tighter and not knowing what else to say.

~~~

 

“Mr. Carson?” Angie was fully dressed but bleary-eyed when she opened the door to her apartment, blinking at the two men who stood outside the door. “What are you going here? Who’s this?”

“This is Larry,” Ben replied, giving a nod to the man at his side. “And please, call me Ben. I’m sorry to wake you so late at night. I know you’re having trouble remembering things right now. I’m here to talk about that.”

Angie lowered her head, looking both self conscious and a little angry. “I know enough to keep working. You don’t have to worry about that.”

“I know I don’t,” Ben replied gently, glancing around the hallway. “May we come inside for a few moments? I promise we’re just here to help.”

“We’re incredibly gay, if that helps,” Larry said with a smirk, pouring on the flamboyancy, and Angie looked startled for a moment before giving a soft laugh.

“Of course. Come in, I’m really sorry – it’s not that I don’t trust you – quite the opposite in fact, I feel like I know you way better than I actually do. It’s just everything they’re saying on the news about these weird murders – I’m kind of their type, it’s made me nervous….”

“We’ve been watching out for you, you don’t have to worry,” Ben replied reassuringly, following her into the apartment and slipping out of his shoes at the door. “And your feelings are more accurate than your memories, Angie. We do know each other better than you think, and Larry too.”

Angie’s eyebrows knit together slightly as she regarded them. “I… I’m sorry. I don’t remember. The doctors are trying some hypnosis therapy on me, but everything they’ve managed to help me remember is just really strange and crazy….”

“It’s all right,” Ben assured her. “I think I can help you with that too. Can we go into your kitchen?”

“My kitchen? I guess so…” Angie stepped through the doorway, still looking confused. “Why the kitchen?”

“I need something edible,” Ben replied following her in. “Something small, like a cracker.”

“I have some grapes in my fridge?” Angie moved to open the door and grab out a bowl full of them.

“One is fine,” Larry told her. “Just put it on your palm and hold it out.”

She did so, looking from one to the other. “This is really weird.”

“Just humor me for a few moments,” Ben replied. He placed his palm over hers, gathering glamour into a spell. “ _Come dream with me. Open your eyes and see._ ”

“You’re so simple about these things,” Larry said with a snort, and Ben shot him a mock annoyed look.

“No every kith is as froofroo as yours,” he shot back with a fond smile, then smiled at Angie. “Turn around, darling. Close your eyes and eat the grape. We’re going to talk you through some circumstances that you might not remember correctly. Things we remember.”

Ben watched as his foundling did as she was asked, swallowing down the grape. “All right. Now what am I doing?”

“You’re thinking back,” Ben said softly, taking Larry’s hands and lacing their fingers together. “You’re thinking back to two years ago. You were coaching a team in the mornings. Your best defenseman was Joey Mcinnis. Do you remember him?”

“Yeah,” Angie said after a moment. “Yeah, I do. He was eight. He was really good. But… but there were bruises….”

“Yes. Do you remember the day he came to practice with a black eye?”

“He said…” Angie’s voice shook a little. “He said he ran into a doorknob.”

“How do you feel?” Larry’s voice was soft and warm, encouraging.

“I feel so angry.” Angie’s voice hardens. “When his father comes to pick him up I can’t bite my tongue anymore. I pull him into your office, even though you’re there. Because you’re there, because I know you’ll have my back. I lay into him about what he’s doing to his son, or what he’s allowing to be done to his son, and he raises his hand to hit me, and I…” She stopped, eyes flying open, staring ahead at her kitchen cabinets. “Why can’t I remember?”

“Close your eyes,” Ben said softly. “You caught his arm before it could make purchase. You twisted it behind his back and told him that if he ever hit his son again you’d rip his balls off and feed them to him. You told him you expected him to go to counseling and anger management and that you’d be checking up on him….”

“I….” Angie shook her head slowly. “I just wanted to protect him….”

“What do you see after that?” Larry asked softly, and Angie shook her head.

“He runs out. He closes the door. And I… my hands are blue. I – You’re blue. You’re the same as me, you – “ She whirled around, eyes wide, staring. “Oh god. It’s real.”

“Do you remember?” Ben said softly. “You swore an oath to me, Angela, and I to you. You’re my foundling. By your honor, I call you to remember the oath that you took. _As the mountain to the stone, so do I now recognize you to me. From this day forward, you are of my blood.…_

Angie closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a soft breath. _“I swear to offer you my respect, my devotion and my love, for you offer me a home where I have none….”_ She was still for a moment, then opened her eyes to look up at Ben, once again the tall, confident fae he remembered. “You were my mentor. You introduced me to the freehold. I… I fell defending it.” Her eyebrows knit together in distress. “Oh god, I’m so sorry.”

“You did fine. You were wonderful, Angie.” Ben couldn’t keep from smiling, relief and pride almost overwhelming him. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there to protect you. We need your help again now. Will you help us?”

“It’s my honor to stand by your side,” she replied, smiling, courage and honor restored.

Ben’s phone rang again before he could reply, and he fumbled for it with a curse. “Daniel? Where are you? Where’s John?”

“I can’t talk long.” Ben could hear real fear in his brother’s voice. “I just – I just wanted to tell you that I love you, that I’ll always love you and that I’m so sorry for breaking our bond – “

“Daniel, what are you talking about? I love you too, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” came his brother’s soft, defeated voice. “I’m walking such a fine line, Ben. Either this will work or it will not, and if it doesn’t….”

“Let me come help you,” Ben begged, worry twisting a hard, icy knot in his stomach. “I have Larry back and there are others who can help us. Daniel, please. Oath or not, if something happens to you….”

On the other end of the phone, his brother gave a shivering breath. “All right,” he said finally, “If it reaches that point I’ll signal you just like I always did. Come and bring whoever you can. I have to go now. I love you.”

How he always used to….

Ben clicked off the cell phone, tucking it back in his pocket and, ignoring Larry’s quizzical look for a moment, touched the ring on his thumb and activating the spell that always told him where Daniel was. It worked again, the knowledge coming to him suddenly like it always had before. He looked up at Larry. “I know where he is. Call the others. I’ll get the car.”

~~~

 

“If you’re not with them, then who the hell are you?” John felt apprehensive in the back of the sedan as they sped away from the mob of Slaugh. It made him uneasy, though when he glanced at the doors to the backseat they both appeared to have door handles and working locks, which reassured him a little.

The young officer in the front seat turned around to smile at him. “I’m Leon. This is Frank – ah, Inspector Bumstead. Your friends asked us to help out. We’ve got the police keeping an eye out for you, but they don’t know what’s going on.”

John stared back at him, shaking his head slightly. “I don’t – I don’t understand. My friends?”

“Not those skinheads,” said the driver, glancing back over his shoulder. “Your real friends, the ones who have been trying very hard to get you out of this mess.”

John glanced out the windows nervously. “How do I know you’re telling the truth? How can I trust you?”

“Because you’re going to have to trust someone, and I’m going to hazard a guess that we’re safer than the mob of psychotic bald guys who were just chasing you.”

The radio on the dash of the sedan buzzed at that. “Bumstead, this is McHenry. We’ve secured the area and subdued six suspects. Any sign of Murdoch?”

“None,” Leon replied, taking the handset and replying into it. “What about the women?”

“They’re safe,” came the reply. “Should we bring them into the precinct for questioning?”

Leon glance up at Frank, who gave a small shake of his head. He held the radio handset up to Frank’s mouth. “That’s a negative, McHenry. We need to see if he re-establishes contact. You and Storm and the others bring in the suspects. Send another unit out to watch the women.”

“Understood. Over and out.”

Leon was already dialing a number on his cell as he slipped the handset back into its crook. “Anna? We have your brother with us, he’s safe. Listen, the police are going to leave you there, but they’ll be watching you. You should have a few minutes to slip away after they leave and before the next team gets there. Meet us at Ben’s.”

“Where the hell are you taking me?” The words burst from John’s mouth as Leon hung up the phone. “I want some answers. Who the hell are these punks that are trying to get me? Why do all these strange things keep happening?”

“There are things that are better explained by your friends,” Frank replied, turning off the freeway and into an area that looked a bit more familiar to John. He caught sight of a Tourist Information sign – this was the area he’d started in, the place he’d woken up in and first seen those creeps. Mr. Hand, his mind told him, and something in the back of his mind added ‘murderer.’

This was definitely the last place he wanted to be in.

“I know you don’t remember anything,” Frank was saying, “But your friends will be able to help you. And we’ll keep you safe.”

The car stopped at a red light, and John glanced out his window to see a familiar figure slip inside the doors of a building. Daniel, the battered librarian.

A conviction stronger than anything he’d felt so far came over him… this man knew the answers he was looking for, not anyone else. But how to escape?

Something tingled at the back of his mind, the strange feeling he’d felt in the square before that strange force had blown the men across the square. Suddenly a flash of memory caught him, and he was speaking words before he could stop himself.

_“The cats nestle close to their kittens now.  
The lambs have laid down with the sheep.  
You’re cozy and warm in your bed, my dear,  
Please go the fuck to sleep.”_

Frank had shifted the car into park and whirled around in the driver’s seat as he started speaking, mouth opening, but no words coming out. As John finished speaking, both men’s eyes fell closed, and they slumped in their seats, relaxed and appearing fast asleep. He stared at them for a split second, then decided not to ask questions, opening the car door and hurrying towards where he’d last seen the man in the threadbare brown suit.

~~~


	13. Chapter 13

It had been difficult to organize, but not impossible. Daniel had gotten off the phone with his brother and clicked open his pocket watch, focusing glamour and magic on finding John. Finally he’d located the car driven by the troll police inspector that held John in the back seat. From the situation and the road they were on it wasn’t hard to deduce where they were going. Then it was just a matter of stationing himself along that route and hoping that John would take the bait.

~~~

The building was a bath house, John realized as he slipped inside. It seemed strangely familiar to him, but he couldn’t place why. He gave an absent nod to a man he passed who was leaving, moving slowly through the hallways and trying to figure out where the librarian would have gone. More men were leaving around him – was it closing time? And when he finally stepped into the changing room, the only one left there was the man that he sought. “Doctor Schreber.”

The man whirled, relief plain on his face. “John. You came.”

“I think it’s time you started giving me some answers,” John replied, trying to keep his frustration from rising to the surface. It was time to give this man a chance to explain things. He’d saved him back in the hotel room, after all.”

“Of course,” Daniel replied, stepping back and lowering himself to perch on one of the benches. “Won’t you please sit down. I’m so sorry that all of this is happening, John. Please believe me when I say that if I’d been able to figure out some way – but no matter, it makes no difference now. Just know that no matter what you see or hear, no matter what happens I swear to you that I am on your side.”

His words resonated with a kind of intensity that made John’s heart ache strangely, and he pushed it away. “Who are they? What do they want from me?”

Daniel glanced away, swallowing and giving a little accepting nod before answering his question. “This may be a bit confusing to you at first, but I swear to you that it is the truth. They’re not human, John. And neither are we. Neither is your sister or her lover, or any of your subjects. We’re so much more than that. We’re creatures of magic and glamour and dreams, and you are our Lord. The men with the bald heads are Slaugh, and they want your holdings. They’ve done terrible things to your people and to this city. But you and I can take care of them, we can restore things to how they were. I can help you remember everything if you’re willing to trust me.”

John stared at him for a long moment, at the open, hopeful look. Everything in his heart was telling him to trust the man in front of him, but his logical mind balked against it. How could he know for sure….?

The doctor’s pocket watch chimed, and he fumbled for it, looking suddenly afraid. He clicked it open, then shut it again quickly, dropping it to swing from its chain. Then he stood, smoothly drawing an antique pistol from under his coat and leveling it at John.

The other hand drew a strange contraption of brass and glass from his pocket, some kind of weird syringe. “I’m sorry about this, I truly am, but we do not have much time and I cannot afford the luxury of doing this the right way.” Daniel’s hand shook slightly, though his gaze was steady. “Everything you need to know, all the answers are in this syringe. I need you to inject yourself, it’s the only way to make you understand.”

John got to his feet slowly, eyes flicking from the gun to the syringe in the doctor’s outstretched hand. “… you’re kidding me, right?”

If anything, Daniel looked more determined. “We’re running out of time, John. You have to do this now.“

John reached out slowly for the syringe, watching the doctor nervously step closer, straining out to drop the syringe in his palm without closing the distance between them. How could this man be trying to help him? Something inside John snapped, a rage and a burst of invisible power that lashed out at the doctor, knocking him back into the wall to fall to the floor, the gun scattering away across the tile. Daniel gave a pained grunt as his back connected with the wall and knocked the wind out of him, trying to catch his breath as he looked up at John. “That was magic. Just like I told you. You’re remembering. You have to be.”

“I’m not remembering anything,” John spat back, head spinning at the insinuation. “What exactly is in this, doctor?”

Daniel looked up at him from the floor with a soft sob, blue eyes bright with misery. Something about the pleading in them awoke a strange feeling of sympathy in John. Like he should be trying to protect this man instead of fighting him. Maybe he’d been wrong about him all along.

Daniel’s voice was helpless. “All the answers you’ve been looking for, John, I swear to you. Please. Just trust me. Inject yourself.”

The thought was absurd. John shook his head and pushed away the feelings of sympathy, tucking the syringe it into the inside pocket of his jacket. “Guess I’ll just have to hold onto it for safe keeping. If you don’t mind?”

“Mr. Murdoch. Fancy seeing you here.” The sound of footsteps on tile made him whirl as one of the skinheads – the Slaugh - stalked into the change room. Mr. Hand, John remembered. More of the Slaugh streamed in behind him and through the other entrance, boxing them in. Far too many to hope to be able to fight.

Daniel moved before he could react, scrambling across the floor to grab the gun where it had fallen and lifting it to point to John again. “Thank you for coming. He was about to get away.”

“Thank you for coming?” Mr. Hand turned to Daniel as several of the Slaugh moved to restrain John, catching his arms and binding them tightly behind his back. “You speak like you are trying to help us, Doctor. We followed you here

Daniel’s voice was an angry growl. “Why the hell would I be holding him at gunpoint if I was trying to help him? I was trying to take him back to you. If you hadn’t put this thing on my ankle I could have secured him easily.”

Mr. Hand raised one eyebrow, looking him up and down. “Perhaps. Or perhaps you are simply lying to us as you have so many times before, yes? No matter. We have a way to prove your loyalty once and for all.” He looked to the Slaugh that were holding John, giving a nod.

“Bring him back to the freehold.”

~~~  
Frank woke blearily to the sound of his phone ringing, and he fought away the dregs of sleep, trying to locate it. Murdoch had used magic somehow, put them both to sleep. He cursed softly under his breath, grabbing his phone and answering it, seeing the ten missed calls on the phone record. “Bumstead.”

“Frank. It’s Ben, we’ve been trying to contact you. What the hell is going on? Daniel’s in trouble. Where’s John?”

“He took off. I think he put us to sleep somehow,” Frank replied, watching Leon start to rouse and squeezing his arm gently to nudge him awake.

“Shit.” Ben was silent for a moment. “I’ve got a tracker on Daniel, he’s on his way back to the Freehold. I think we have to assume that the Slaugh have John. We’re almost there now, and Serra’s on her way with some reinforcements and our girls. Can you meet us there?”

Frank shifted the car back into drive, getting his bearings on the street. “We’ll be there shortly.”

~~~

 

Daniel limped into the consensus after the Slaugh, letting his manacled leg drag a little more than was necessary, slowing him down. He touched the ring he wore on his finger, a twin to Ben’s, and used a touch of glamour to activate it, to send the strongest signal he could manage. Even though he’d broken the oath between them, he’d created these rings to bind them, and with luck it would still send the message he needed; that he needed Ben here, needed all of them here to re-take the freehold. He had a very good idea of what the Slaugh planned to do, and if that was the case then he’d have one chance; one glorious, perfect chance to get John back and to end this. But they were going to need all the backup they could get, and soon.

The Slaugh were all watching him enter the room, and as they did Mr. Book held up a device very similar to the enchantment syringe he’d created but tinged with the magic of the Slaugh, the metal dark and twisted, the enchantment inside the glass an inky black.

“Inject him, Doctor. No more disobedience. Prove your loyalty now or you both die.”

Daniel crossed the center of the consensus and took the syringe from him, making his way back to where John was strung up, buckled to the round, rack-like table that the Slaugh had used to torture the women. He set the syringe down on John’s chest carefully before grabbing the leather strap that sat to the right of his head, stretching it over his forehead and buckling it carefully in place to keep him from moving.

“What are you doing?” John gasped, trying to struggle weakly against his bonds.

“They want to enchant you, make you sympathetic to their cause. They want you to tell them all of the secrets of this freehold. And then they’ll use it to do the same thing to other freeholds, other cities,” he whispered, still making a show of fastening his head. There’s no way he could allow that to happen. If he could just stall for a little more time….

Mr. Book’s voice boomed through the hall, displeased and imposing. “Doctor. Work the enchantment. Now.”

Quickly his fingers darted out to seize the syringe that John had tucked into his breast pocket, lifting that instead of the Slaugh’s nightmare machine. He plunged the needle into the center of John’s forehead before any of the Slaugh could stop him and pushed the plunger to send the enchantment home, his whispered words echoing in John’s ears. “Wake up, love. I need you.”

John felt the device pierce his forehead, the shock of it ripping through him, then changing. Whatever it was in the syringe shot through his body like lightning, setting every nerve in his body tingling, warm and rich. And suddenly everything he’d been missing came back in a rush, all the blank spots in his mind filling with colour and memory like the sun bursting through cloud cover and bathing the world in colour. It all came back to him - the freehold, growing up with Anna, learning to rule. Learning magic from his father, engaging in weapons training, growing up with Larry learning and fighting by his side.

Then he remembered Daniel – the real Daniel, the one inside the frightened, bookish doctor who had been trying to help him all night. He remembered the day he met Daniel, the golden, radiant light that the man had brought into his life, how strong and confident and dazzlingly beautiful the Sidhe had been in every way. The way the touch of his hand or a smile on his lips made John’s heart ache with longing, the whispered words of love he’d promised to him. And through all memories that streamed back to him, the strongest was the image of his beautiful Sidhe lover standing in front of him, both hands in his. “This is your freehold, John. The slaugh have taken it from you, they’ve hurt your friends and your family. But we can defeat them. You are nobility and a warrior; break free from your bonds and take care of this cancer on my ankle that keeps me prisoner. Challenge the leader in single combat and I will take care of the rest. Please, John. Remember your love. Remember who you are.”

How could he have ever forgotten all of this?

His body tingled with the infusion of glamour, and a few sung notes under his breath was all it took to make the bonds that held him wither away into dust. The manacle around Daniel’s ankle was harder, but with the amount of silk wrapped on it he was able to catch hold of the cold iron with a net of magic and pull, making it disappear to somewhere far, far away from them. Daniel – his beautiful, confident Daniel – flashed him a smile, fingers already moving in the form of a cantrip, twisting by his forehead to yank away the gem they’d implanted there.

The Slaugh had realized what was happening, and John knew he’d have to act fast. Thinking quickly, he drew the sword that once again hung at his belt and raised it to Mr. Book. “ _As the true Lord of this freehold, I challenge you in single combat, to death and undoing, winner takes all. Answer my challenge or forfeit your status and your right to the dreaming, Slaugh._ ”

Mr. Hand drew his knife, the blade’s springing open as he drew back to attack, but Mr. Book held up a hand, eyes narrowing. “What Mister Murdoch has begun must be completed, or my status is forfeit. Do not interfere, any of you. I will take care of this.”

With a thought, though John wasn’t exactly sure whose, the freehold around them changed, the circular steps of the strange room they were in melted away to leave an open hall that he was more familiar to him. Slaugh that had been standing on the steps tried to rush down as they started to collapse, but many tumbled to the ground. Mr. Book didn’t seem to care. John could see his mouth moving, whispering a spell, and he barely had enough time to protect himself, dropping to his knees and calling the magic of the dreaming into a heavy oak shield, which he raised in front of him to protect him from the hard blast of air that Mr. Book threw at him.

Two could play at that game.

Control over the elements in single combat was something John had learned like he’d learned to walk, and now it hardly took more than a word for him to summon them to his aid, sending a hard blast of air back at Mr. Book. The other raised a hand to stop it, a blast of air to dissipate John’s attack, scattering rubble around them but leaving them both unharmed. Round one was a draw.

At the side of the room, Daniel picked himself up out of the rubble, body singing with hope and glamour and the relief of finally being free of that damn manacle. His eyes searched the mess of Slaugh until he found the one he was looking for, Mr. Book’s enforcer and the next biggest threat to the freehold. “Mr. Hand. _As the consort of the true Lord of this freehold and a member of House Liam, I challenge you in single combat, to death and undoing, winner takes all. Answer my challenge or forfeit your status and your right to the dreaming.”_

Mr. Hand straightened through the challenge, lips forming into a smile. “Gladly. And after I’ve undone you I’ll keep your mortal self as my slave, use you for my pleasure unrestrainedly and wring every drop of glamour from you, you little whore.”

Now wasn’t the time to be angry, Daniel told himself firmly, gathering his glamour around him, readying himself for combat. He’d never been proficient in hand-to-hand, and the only weapon he wore now was a gold chimerical six shooter on his waist. Glamour had reinforced his vest and frock coat to strong leather and hard, puncture proof panels. But it was still going to take more than that to defeat Mr. Hand. Drawing the revolver, he raised it, firing off bursts of energy that knocked the Slaugh back, distracting him, keeping him at the distance Daniel would need to maximize his advantage with magic and keep him away from Hand’s blade. He called upon the elements as he did, magic forming tree branches and vines that sprung from the stone underneath them, trying to curl around Mr. Hand’s body and catch him, restrain him in place and keep him from working spells.

In the center of the room, fire ringed John and Mr. Book, both fae calling upon all the glamour at their disposal to attack each other in spikes of stone that shot out of the ground. Mr. Book raised one hand towards the ceiling and twisted, and John barely had enough time to create shields over himself and Daniel, pointed arches of stone shooting up to deflect the pieces of roof as they collapsed down onto everyone in the room, hopefully damaging more than a few slaugh. It was almost enough to distract him as Mr. Book surged forward, his drawn knife growing into an ornate sword with a spiked guard that was almost as large as John’s, forcing John to pull his attention back from magic to parry and fight.

Daniel kept at his task, pulling more roots from the ground to wind around his opponent as Mr. Hand struggled to break free and cut the branches and vines away from him with his knife. He was half aware of a clamor arising at the door to the hall, and with a surge of relief he realized it was the others – Ben and the troll officer leading the charge with weapons drawn, May and Larry and Angie – had they managed to wake up Angie again? - behind them with a few other members of their freehold. Anna was pulled up onto a pile of rubble by another Selkie that he’d met once or twice, Lady Serra from the island glen offshore. Four more of her Selkie glen joined the fray as well, a man and a woman with guns drawn picking off Slaugh with expert marksmanship, and a dark-haired young slip of the girl who ran right into the middle of the Slaugh with battle axes in hand. The fourth Selkie stayed with Anna and Serra and the uniformed human that Daniel had seen accompanying the officer troll, all of them pulling on various magics, and geysers of water began to erupt throughout the hall, fling Slaugh up into the ceiling as bursts of fire enveloped others.

John twisted away from another swing of Mr. Book’s blade, the metal catching the sleeve of his coat – god, but it was good to be back in real finery again! – and slicing through the velvet. Again and again their blades met and clashed and they struggled to throw each other off, and John fought to remember his disciplines, to keep calm and analyze his opponent’s moves, trying to anticipate and block his attacks and return them with his own. He threw off another strike with a burst of strength, knocking Mr. Book to the ground, and barely had time to react as the Slaugh drew his arm back and threw, sending his blade sailing through the air towards John’s throat. John managed to pull up his oaken shield at the last minute, the blade splintering the surface to embed itself in the wood, safely away from him. He whirled around, sending his own blade sailing end over end through the air to embed itself in Mr. Book’s chest, and as he watched the Slaugh faded, John’s blade clattering to the ground, leaving nothing but an unconscious, weak looking old man.

Daniel was aware of the slaugh around him falling, or dropping their weapons and asking for mercy, calling for surrender. The roots that he had wrapped Mr. Hand in had finally managed to hold him immobile, and he acknowledged Ben with a nod as his brother approached him, breathing hard. “May I borrow your shotgun, beloved?”

Ben handed it to him without hesitation. “What are you going to do with this trash?”

“The terms of the dual call for his undoing,” Daniel said, raising the sawn off shotgun and cocking it, leveling the end a few inches from Mr. Hand’s face. “I do believe that both the world of mortals and the dreaming will be much safer with this man safely put away.”

Mr. Hand said nothing, glaring back at him in stony silence, and Daniel felt no guilt in pulling the trigger, the blast of energy undoing the fae and leaving a pale mortal skin head, the roots slung around him slowly receding to let him fall to the ground. John joined them, having regained his sword and sheathed it at his belt, and saying nothing, he pulled Daniel into a hard kiss.

Lady Serra’s Selkie were rounding up the surrendered Slaugh, taking weapons and binding their hands behind their backs. Inspector Bumstead was aiding them, and left to cross the hall to where John stood, giving a respectful bow of his head. “Lord Murdoch. Good to have you back with us.”

“Inspector Bumstead,” John acknowledged, smiling at the realization that this noble man was fae. “Thank you for your assistance. If there’s anything that I can do for you in return then all you have to do is ask.”

“For now, please just call me Frank. And if your freehold would be so kind as to help us clean up this mess….”

“Our mess, you mean?” John looked out into the hall over the bodies of the fallen Slaugh, now unconscious humans, and the ones that remained. “God, what are we going to do with them all? How do we get all these unconscious amnesiacs back into the mortal world without things seeming more suspicious than they already are?”

“I have an idea for that.” The young human officer joined them, and John realized from the glamour around him and the slight point to his ears that he must have fae blood in him.

“This is Leon, son of Lady Isyla of the Freehold of the Evergreen Kingdom,” Frank said with a little fond smile, and John echoed Leon’s respectful bow.

“One of the theories that’s been thrown about the precinct is that the murders are a result of some kind of satanic cult,” Leon told them. “At first people were laughing at how ridiculous the idea was, but it was one of the few that explained the evidence we had – the multiple fingerprints and those men being brainwashed into thinking they were the killers. So let’s find some place in the city where we can put all the unconscious Slaugh, plant May and Angie in as fake kidnapping victims, and Frank and I can call in the find. They’ll pick up the unconscious Slaugh and assume some kind of attempt at mass suicide. Then we can let the human justice system deal with the rest.”

Ben gave a firm shake of his head. “I’m not putting the girls through having to lie at trial. We just got Angie back, and after her amnesia – “

“I can do it on my own.” May joined them and gave a smile. “Just give me some GHB. I’ll say I met this skin head for a drink and passed out. Won’t remember a thing.”

John was grinning at the idea. “It’s so bizarre and perverse that it might just work. I love it. Let’s do it.”

“There’s still two girls in the cells downstairs,” Daniel said softly, looking up at John. “I don’t think they’ve been ravaged, but the things they’ve seen….”

“We’ll spell them asleep and take them to the warehouse with the Slaugh,” Frank said, “It’ll help corroborate what we’re trying to sell.” His voice softened a little. “We’ll make sure they get all the help they need.”

Daniel nodded silently, then looked to the group of surrendered slaugh, barely two dozen. “And what do we do with the others?”

John regarded them as well. “Did they hurt you, Daniel?”

Daniel shook his head. “No. Nothing more than threats and coercion.”

“Hm.” He was silent for a moment, green eyes narrowed as he regarded them. “We can keep a few of them here, but we don’t have the resources to hold all of them. We need to rebuild and restore, and to fortify the freehold to prevent things like this in the future.”

“My freehold can help with that,” Leon volunteered. “Both the fortifications and the containment. I just wish there was some way less suspicious to get these guys to the mainland and into our freehold.”

“The Freehold of the Evergreen Kingdom….” John paused thoughtfully, then glanced to Ben and Daniel. “Does the House of Liam still hold their keys to the Trod?”

Ben nodded. “We dropped ours in a human safety deposit box. Cold iron. Anna and I both have to sign off to get it back, but it shouldn’t take more than an hour once the banks open.”

Daniel moved forward to where Mr. Hand lay crumpled on the ground, pulling open his jacket and yanking a thong from around his neck, pulling his ring off of it and slipping it back onto his finger. “Ready and awaiting your command, my lord.”

John gave him a warm smile, then looked around the hall. “All right. Let’s get this trash taken out.”

~~~


	14. Chapter 14

Larry hefted another Slaugh, this one rather taller and heavier than the last, and gave a grateful smile as the little half-fae officer joined him to grab the Slaugh’s feet. “Thanks. I’m Larry, by the way.”

“Leon.” The young man gave him a wide smile. “You and Ben are dating, right?”

“Definitely,” Larry replied with a warm surge of affection, glancing over his shoulder to make sure his path was clear as they began to carry the now-mortal Slaugh out the door.

“That’s awesome,” Leon replied, still grinning. “Sorry, I just haven’t really met anyone who… you know. Is with a troll, other than me. Some of my friends think it’s pretty kinky.”

“And they don’t know what they’re missing out on,” Larry replied fondly, glancing out into the hall to where Ben was slinging another ex-Slaugh over one shoulder. “They’re delicious. And so handsome.”

“Mmmhmmm.” Leon’s soft hum of agreement was very appreciative indeed. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s not just about the physical for me. Frank’s amazing, he’s so noble and so kind. But there’s just… you know, some things about him that are so….”

“Big?” Larry suggested with a smirk, and Leon laughed.

“Yeah. It’s… perfect.”

Larry nodded, and helped him load the Slaugh into the back of the van. “Leon, I think you and I are going to get on just fine.”

~~~~

The rest of the day was a whirlwind of activity, of setting up the fake satanic cult and then overseeing the police efforts through Daniel’s seer glass. They contained a half dozen of the slaugh in the cells under the freehold, and then John and Anna had sat down with Lady Serra, drawing out maps to the paths that were accessible through their trod that they’d memorized from their father as children. She’d set off with the rest of the surrendered Slaugh with her Selkie to guard them. “We’ll be back soon to help you fortify,” She assured him, shaking John’s hand, then Anna’s.

“It’s much appreciated,” John told her. “The aid that you’ve given us is invaluable. Our doors are always open to you and yours.”

“We may well take you up on that,” Serra replied with a warm smile, leaning in to press a soft kiss to the corner of Anna’s mouth. “I’ll see you soon, bao-bao. Give your beautiful girl my regards.”

“I will,” Anna assured her, and they watched the small caravan disappear into the distance of the dreaming before shutting and locking the gate to the trod once again.

After everything was said and done, John found Daniel in the courtyard in front of his library, sitting quietly on the stone bench in front of the once again bubbling fountain, exhausted and possibly half asleep. John wasn’t surprised at how quickly the freehold had righted itself again after they’d taken back control. What did surprise him was how much of Daniel he could see in it now, the new pieces of art that reflected Daniel’s taste, the bookcases of mortal literature that had appeared in different places, the decorations of brass and crystal and leather that made him think so much of Daniel’s wardrobe. Perhaps Daniel was unconsciously influencing the freehold’s rebirth. Or perhaps, and more likely, the freehold was just trying to please him.

“John – I’m sorry – “ Daniel started, fully awake and flustered, and got to his feet quickly. John just smiled and shook his head, stepping close to slip an arm around his waist.

Like this, Daniel’s quiet regality was unmistakable, and John wondered how he could have ever mistaken him for anything else. It was strange, thinking back on how much his mortal eyes had clouded his vision, how friends and family and lovers had meant nothing to him. But it was over. They were all safe now. They were here now.

He reached a hand up to touch Daniel’s face, brushing along his jaw with the backs of his fingers. “You never left me.”

“I tried not to,” Daniel agreed softly, leaning into his touch. “I couldn’t leave you, John. I was so frightened….”

John nodded, finally drawing him close like he wanted to, enfolding him in his arms and feeling Daniel sag against his chest. “I won’t leave you again. I’m so sorry, love.”

“Just don’t let go,” Daniel whispered, a shiver running through his body.

John tightened his arms around him, pressing his face to his hair. “Never.”

Daniel nestled his face into his neck, breath warm against his skin. “I used to think that nothing in the world mattered but Ben and I. Maybe that’s why I could never find happiness with anyone. But then I met you, and I just… you became so much more to me than I ever imagined. I couldn’t bear the thought of going on without you. So it didn’t matter what they did to me as long as I was with you and could hope that we’d get out of this together.”

John stroked the fingers of one hand into his honey blonde hair and down his back, pressing a kiss to his temple. “I didn’t realize that love mattered until I met you,” he replied softly. “Maybe that’s what let me break free of their enchantment. I remember feeling so strongly that there was something I had to do, someone I had to find. At first I thought it was Anna, but it was you. I know it was you.” He drew back just enough to catch his gaze. “I want you to be my partner, love. Not just my consort. I want this freehold to be yours as much as mine. I want us to be tied together. I want you to be my Lord.”

He watched Daniel draw a soft breath, blue eyes searching his. “What do you mean, John?”

“I mean for us to be oathbound as lovers, in this world and the mortal one. I mean to put gold on your finger and a songbird in the sky to bear witness of my love for you. And if you don’t want that, I’ll still swear myself to you for as long as we live.”

He felt Daniel tremble under his touch, his lips parting as he took in the words. He swallowed hard. “Are you certain you want this?”

“More than anything,” John replied, voice husky. He caught one of Daniel’s hands in his own, raising it to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to the knuckles. “ _I give a gift of myself to you. Take it freely, as freely is it offered, and until the day I die, you, my dearest Daniel, shall have me in your keeping. I swear love unto you and pledge you my troth. May those who watch over love watch over this oath and those who keep it, and may we never find fault in their eyes._ ”

Daniel’s hand clenched his tightly, trembling, and he closed his eyes for a moment, swallowing hard, the light and glamour of the freehold bright and warm around them. Then he opened his eyes again, gaze steady as he held John’s regardless of the slight tremble John could feel where they touched or the huskiness in his voice. “ _I give a gift of myself to thee,_ ” he said, soft and strong, repeating the vow without hesitation or guile, confident in the words that John had wanted to hear for so long. “ _I swear love unto you and pledge you my troth. May those who watch over love watch over this oath and those who keep it, and may we never find fault in their eyes._ ”

The glamour around them was so thick it was almost overwhelming – coming from both himself and Daniel, John realized – restoring his depleted reserves and bring a measure of strength to his limbs again. But he didn’t care about that. All he cared about was Daniel, pulling him close and catching his mouth in a trembling kiss, stroking his fingers through his hair and over his back and wanting to be as close to him as possible.

The chimerical songbird that signified their union swooped by, brilliant gold with trailing feathers tipped in black, his song simple and bright and true. Then he heard a soft, slow applause, and turned to see Ben standing in the doorway to the freehold, watching them with a soft smile.

“It’s about time,” he remarked, directing his smile at Daniel, who flushed slightly but smiled in return. There was something that went unspoken between them, and John knew that there would probably always be secrets that he wasn’t entirely privy to, but he’d realized a long time ago that he was okay with that. Ben inclined his head respectfully. “The freehold is secure, my lords. Larry and Angie and I will guard the gates while you both retire for… some well deserved rest.”

“Thank you.” Daniel broke away from John, moving to slip his arms around his brother’s neck for a tight embrace and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “You’ve done so much for me again. Thank you, love.”

“I’ll still always be here,” Ben replied, and then paused for a moment. When he spoke his words were hesitant and almost nervous. “Daniel… will you allow me to be your oathbound guardian again?”

Daniel didn’t reply, but gave him a soft smile instead, pulling away and turning to John. “My lord, if I might borrow your sword?”

John unsheathed the weapon and handed to him without question, watching as Daniel held it upright with his left hand, placing the palm of his right firmly against the flat of the blade near the hilt. He raised his eyes to his brother, who was watching him silently, eyebrows knit slightly with worry. “Ben, you have been my faithful companion for longer than I can remember,” Daniel said softly, meeting his gaze with a soft, reassuring smile. “The service and protection you have given me has been invaluable. But the world has changed, my love, and I have no desire to hold you to me as a servant when you have countless times over won the right to stand beside me as my equal. Your oath to me was pure, but has done us both a disservice in this lifetime. So if we are to be bound together, dear heart, it will be as brothers and equals or not at all.” He glanced down at the sword, at his hand held there in offering. “Will you?”

Ben nodded silently, closing his hand around the other side of the blade to clasp Daniel’s, the metal biting into their skin just enough to break it, to mix shared blood against the blade. Daniel’s smile was warm and sweet, his voice certain as he spoke. “ _I swear to you an oath of friendship and brotherhood, of clasped hands and shared hearts. My life is in your hands as my blood is in your veins, my strength is yours as you make yours mine. If we break this bond so shall we both perish, but hold me well and we shall be forever joined: blood for blood, bone for bone and life for life, until only we stride the earth._ ”

“Thank you,” Ben whispered, repeating and confirming the oath before handing the sword back to John and pulling Daniel into a tight embrace. “Thank you, dear heart.”

It only took a touch of magic to quicken the healing of their wounds, and Daniel was all too happy to retire to John’s rooms with him, letting him fuss and bandage his hand, all soft words of love and affectionate kisses until Daniel drew him close, capturing his mouth for a more yearning kiss, one hand tangled in his curls.

“If we are to be oathbound, then I think we should consummate it as soon as possible,” he breathed, hands moving to undo John’s jacket and push it off his shoulders, stroking his hands over the silk underneath.

John’s smile widened, his reply to Daniel’s words a hungrier kiss, smoothing his hands up his hips and under his jacket to stroke his sides. “I always love the way you think,” he murmured, starting to kiss along Daniel’s jaw, fingers undoing the buttons of his jacket and vest. “Do you remember the first time we made love?”

“On Midsummer’s Eve…” Daniel stroked his fingers up into John’s curls, stroking his scalp and teasing the edge of one furred black ear. He gave a soft moan as John started to suck on his earlobe, worrying it with his teeth. “I’d made you wait for so long….”

“It was agony,” John murmured, licking along the edge of his ear to suck gently on the tip, loving the way it made Daniel gasp and arch up against him. “I think my dick shriveled up and almost fell off.”

Daniel laughed breathlessly, rocking up against the hardness he could feel through John’s slacks. “Good thing I saved you from that horrible fate.”

“Are you kidding?” John pulled back with a grin. “It totally shriveled up. You should have seen it before. It was massive. Bigger than a troll. It was like a tripod. You could have had that all to yourself if you hadn’t held out so long, you know.”

Daniel laughed again, leaning in to kiss him, smoothing a hand down to cup him through his pants. “Good thing I did, then, because this is absolutely perfect.” He nipped at John’s bottom lip, fingers leaving their caress of his cock to nimbly undo the buttons of his shirt. Then he pulled back, hesitating for a moment. “John… when the Slaugh held you asleep… did you actually manage to come visit my dreams somehow?”

“Your dreams?” Green cat-slit eyes sparkled mischievously as John went back to work on his clothes. “You mean to tell me you were having kinky dreams about me? Mmmm, that’s dirty. I love it.”

“John, I’m serious, I – ohh….” He drew a soft breath as John dipped his head to suck on a nipple, teasing it with his teeth as his hand slipped down to cup him through his slacks, tracing the line of his cock and teasing the head with the pad of his thumb. “Oh god….”

“Not god, just Lord,” John replied against his skin, pushing his undone shirt, vest and jacket off his shoulders before returning to work on his slacks, tail swishing playfully behind him.

“You’re incorrigible,” Daniel laughed softly, drawing a sharp breath as John moved to the other nipple, pulling his slacks and underwear down to fall around his ankles and free his cock.

“It’s why you love me,” John murmured in reply, fingers curling around the shaft of his erection and stroking slowly as he lavished attention on his other nipple, then slipped to his knees to lick up the length of his cock.

“I love you for every reason,” Daniel replied breathlessly, biting his lip on a soft moan as John’s tongue flicked against the sensitive bundle of nerves at the underside of his cock before swirling around him. John’s tongue had a hint of roughness to it, just a touch of extra sensation borrowed from the animal he was tied to, and it made everything he did with it more intense, more intoxicating. “God….”

“That’s a lot of reasons,” John said approvingly, lavishing attention on the head of his cock, licking up the hint of arousal and pressing his tongue into the slit, sucking on the tip to encourage more. Then his lips parted, sliding halfway down the shaft with a low groan.

He loved knowing his lover’s body so well, knowing how to cup and tease his balls and roll them between his fingers, how to let the head of his cock nudge the back of his throat as he bobbed on it before finally swallowing it down. He loved how it made Daniel whimper helplessly and shudder against him, fingers tangling and clenching in his hair, then releasing, stroking restlessly through his hair and along the backs of his ears in a way that made pleasure shiver down his spine. He’d wondered a few times if he could come just like this, on his knees with Daniel’s cock down his throat, just from Daniel stroking his ears. But he doubted that either of them would ever be patient enough for that. He stroked his fingertips down the crease of Daniel’s beautiful tight ass, making them slick with a thought and a touch of glamour and stroking against the tight pucker that made Daniel whimper and press back against him, cock twitching in arousal.

“Oh god, John, please….” Daniel pressed back against his fingers, just a little impatient, and John gave a little approving noise around him, answering his plea for penetration, working his fingers in him carefully. It seemed like Daniel froze for a moment, but then pushed back against the penetration with a soft moan, catching the edge of John’s ear between his fingers to stroke along it, encouraging more.

It was hard to keep control with Daniel’s cock thick and hard in his mouth, with Daniel’s little helpless moans as John fucked him with his fingers, crooking them just so to seek out his lover’s pleasure point, making him shudder and buck up into his mouth. It was harder with Daniel’s fingers in his hair and on his ears, his soft pleas for more, seemingly doing everything he could to make John lose control.

He pulled back finally, breathless, letting Daniel’s cock pop from his mouth and looking up at him through his eyelashes. “If we keep doing this you’re going to make me come in my pants. Why am I still wearing pants?”

Daniel laughed softly, tugging him to his feet and leaning in to kiss him surprisingly fiercely, tongue questing as if to taste every bit of himself on John’s lips. He pulled off John’s shirt as he did, before starting to yank at his belt and slacks, voice low and husky. “Then you’d better get on the bed right now so I can ride you.”

“Oooh. Yes, my lord.” John grinned, trying to wiggle out of his pants without taking off his boots and narrowly avoiding falling over, leaving everything in a tangled mess on the rug before hopping into bed and leaning back against the headboard, watching Daniel with an appreciative smirk.

Daniel managed to slip out of the rest of his clothes much more gracefully, crawling up to straddle John’s thighs and press close, catching John’s mouth in a hungry kiss. He shifted to press their cocks together, wrapping lube slick fingers around them to stroke them slowly, rocking against John and groaning against his mouth as John’s hands smoothed down to cup his ass and pull him closer.

“Oh god….” Daniel’s whimper was almost desperate, breath coming faster, and, nipping at John’s bottom lip, he moved to press the head of his cock against his ass, rocking down onto him with a breathless groan.

It was all John could do to keep from bucking up into him, and he stroked his hands over his lover’s hips and thighs instead, urging the rock of his hips as Daniel sank down onto him, rocking slowly. The familiar heat of his lover’s body was just as intoxicating as it always was, and John let himself indulge completely, leaning in to nuzzle his throat, to nip and suck at the crook of his neck as Daniel began to move on him, fingers clenched on his shoulders. “Oh god. Oh god, John….”

“Perfect… let go, love, take your pleasure of me.” John kissed up to suck on his earlobe, voice low and throaty and encouraging. “Love you so much like this… all turned on and willing and desperate for more. Love how badly you want my cock….”

Daniel gave a soft, incredulous laugh. “That’s what you said then, too. It was real, wasn’t it? It was you.”

“I’m all the things,” John agreed distractedly, letting his hands grasp his lover’s hips, pulling him closer as he rocked up into his body, angling to flood his lover with pleasure and groaning as Daniel cried out and bucked down onto him. It was easy to lose himself to this, to the rock of their bodies as Daniel moved harder on him, thighs trembling a little, cock pressed hard between them. “So perfect,” he murmured, leaning back to look up at him, to drink in every sensation: Daniel, flushed, lips parted to little breathless gasps of pleasure with each thrust as he moved on him, the air thick with glamour and sex. John slipped a hand to curl around his cock, the other still clenching one hip, guiding him as their bodies came together, angling to make him cry out again and again.

“John – “ Daniel’s voice was urgent, cock thick and hot against John’s palm as he stroked him, and John could feel his body tense, trying to hold off. “Oh god – “

“Don’t hold back,” John breathed, feeling his own passion surge, coiled tight and wild and threatening to break free. “Love feeling you come. Come on, love – “ He began to stroke him just a little faster, letting his thumb swipe over the head of his cock and the sensitive underneath, and within moments Daniel was lost completely, head thrown back to a husky cry as he came. His body shuddered hot and tight around John’s cock as he came in hot ropes on John’s stomach and chest, and John didn’t try to restrain himself, bucking into him hard two, three times before giving in to his passion, orgasm shuddering bright and hot through him.

Daniel sank down against his chest bonelessly, breath warm and hard against his skin, and John let himself indulge, pressing his face to his hair and breathing deeply, stroking his hands over his trembling form. “You’re so beautiful,” he breathed, pressing a kiss to his temple. “So perfect, love. I love you so much.”

Daniel gave a soft, trembling sigh, and the black and gold songbird on the window sill gave a happy, musical trill. Daniel kept his arms wrapped tight around his shoulders, returning John’s soft kiss to the skin at the corner of his jaw. “I should have agreed to this a very long time ago,” he murmured softly. “I’m sorry, John.”

“A dream delayed is still a dream come true,” John murmured in reply, nuzzling his hair reassuringly. “Time doesn’t matter. You’re here now. And we have a freehold completely reborn to explore.”

“Explore?” Daniel repeated, drawing back to look at him with a little teasing smile playing about his lips.

“Explore and fuck in,” John clarified with a grin, leaning in to kiss him again.

~~~ The End ~~~


	15. Characters: Kiths & Legacies

**Note on Legacies:**  
Changelings possess both a Seelie and Unseelie legacy, emphasizing the dual nature of fae souls. Seelie legacies tend to be more altruistic, selfless and law-abiding, while Unseelie legacies tend to be selfish, passionate and chaotic. It is important to note, however, that the difference is more one of motivation than of nobility or honour. In the old days, before the Shattering, the fae sought balance between the Courts, with each ruling for half the year; it was seen as natural to obey both sides of one's nature, though even then most Changelings favoured one Court over the other, and thus obeyed the needs of the corresponding legacy most of the time. Since the Shattering, however, the Seelie Court has long ruled, and openly Unseelie Changelings are now looked upon with suspicion; thus Unseelie legacies, while always being a temptation, are often held at bay.

 

 **Name: Daniel  
Court: Seelie**  
The Seelie have a reputation as the guardians of fae traditions. They are the peacekeepers, protectors of the weak, and the ideals of chivalry. Most seelie seek the reunion between the mortal world and the dreaming, and would like to be back to the time before the realms became divided.  
 **Seelie Legacy - Alchemist**  
"As above, so below..." runs the alchemical axiom, and you believe it. You are a scientist of the Dreaming, patient and rational. There is more to be learned in the lab and the library than anywhere else, and the results are so much clearer in those venues. You are a student of the mysteries, a dabbler into metasciences, and an explorer of forgotten lore. What's more, you believe that the answers to everyday problems, both mundane and esoteric, are found in the operations that one performs magically. You are as close as the Dreaming permits anyone to become to rational and methodical without slipping into Bedlam, relying on careful consideration and an implicit (if not entirely consistent) logic.  
 **Unseelie Legacy - Mastermind**  
You are the brilliant, if underestimated, architect of destruction. Yes, you could achieve your goals through the most direct route, but such actions are for simpletons and animals. Instead, you enact complicated and lengthy plots to undo your enemies and accomplish your ends. There’s nothing quite like a master plan coming together, and the shock on the faces of the fools around you when they realize your genius. You overcompensate for your own feelings of worthlessness, those inflicted upon you by others who could never understand your greatness. You’ll show them all now, and they’ll be forced to recognize your brilliance. You are moody, erratic, and given to overly elaborate methods of getting what you want. The simplest route is simply not your way.  
 **House: Liam**  
The quietest (and some say the wisest) of all the house founders, Lord Liam was exiled to Earth for his eloquent defense of mortal folk. This outcast house holds little sway in the sidhe power structure. Members of this house don't see humans as perfect - far from it. They do, however, believe that humanity has earned the right to exist undisturbed. They fiercely despise Ravaging and Banality; their peaceful demeanors can turn wrathful when they encounter such. Despite their secrecy, House Liam is the most widespread house, and its members travel all over the world. Liam Sidhe serve as sages, loremasters and storytellers who remember earliest fae societies.  
 **Seeming** \- Wilder (approx 15-35 mortal years)  
 **Kith: Sidhe**  
The nobility, Lords and Ladies, High Elves, the Shining Host. The dream of all that is noble and honourable in leaders, but also the arrogance of many leaders. Sidhe have noble bearing and are unnaturally beautiful, even in their human seemings, and can’t help but stand out in the crowd and inspire Awe. They cannot be made to look foolish. However, they are more affected by banality than other kiths and must surround themselves with more glamour to compensate.  
 **Merit(s):  
* Fast Learner:** You learn very quickly, and pick up on new things faster than most do.  
 *** True Love:** You have discovered, and possibly lost (at least temporarily) a true love. Nonetheless, this love provides joy in an arid existence usually devoid of such enlightened emotions. Whenever you are suffering, in danger or dejected, the thought of your true love is enough to give you the strength to persevere. In game terms, this love allows you to succeed automatically on any Willpower roll, but only when you are actively striving to protect or come closer to your true love. Also, the power of your love may be powerful enough to protect you from other supernatural forces. However, your true love may also be a hindrance and require aid (or even rescue) from time to time.  
 *** Past Life:** You can remember one or more of your previous incarnations. This can be as simple as constant deja vu in places known to your past lives, o as complex as conscious, waking memories of being another person.  
 **Flaw(s): Obsession (Books/Learning)**  
There is something you like, love, or are fascinated by to the point where you often disregard common sense to cater to this drive. You react positively to anything related to your obsession, even if it's not in your best interests. For example, if you are obsessed with supernatural creatures, you will go out of your way to talk to and befriend vampires, werewolves, and stranger things, and find out as much as you can about them, disregarding all warnings. 

 

 **Name: Ben  
Court: Seelie  
Seelie Legacy - Comrade**  
You value friendship above all other things and strive to prove yourself worthy of other people's trust. Other values may be important to you, but you place your personal connections above all other considerations. You are willing to face almost any danger to aid friends in need, even if they do not always do the same in return.  
 **Unseelie Legacy - Challenger**  
You exist to test the mettle of others, especially your so-called betters. You realize that most of the time, people pretend to be something that they’re not to get what they want. Similarly, a lot of potential goes untapped because no one is willing to challenge themselves, and test their strength. That’s where you come in. You see yourself as providing an invaluable service to the individuals and societies around you, by forcing them to realize their true strengths and capabilities. It’s important to take the poseurs down a notch, and it gives you a chance to figure out where you fit into the hierarchy, as well. You’re not willing to accept anything at face value; you don’t have to be overt, but you’re always looking for a chance to size others up.  
 **House: Liam  
Seeming - Wilder  
Kith - Troll**  
Honour-bound warriors, titans, giants. The dream of the honorable and chivalric warrior. Trolls gain extra strength, even when interacting with the physical realm, and are blessed with stubbornness - nothing can interfere with a troll's devotion to duty. However, any troll who dares to renege on a sworn contract or oath becomes sickly and loses their Titan's Power. Only by atoning for their lapse of trust can they regain their Titan's Power. Usually this involves fulfilling a new oath. Seelie trolls never lie to fae they are protecting.  
 **Merit(s):  
* Past Life  
* Loyal Heart**  
While all fae are conscious of the bonds of oaths, for you it is almost of a religious nature. Oaths are not something you take lightly, but are more than a matter of life and death. They are also a measure of your self worth, for they give your life a meaning beyond most. Whenever you are overwhelmed or dejected, the thought of your duties is enough to give you the strength to preserver. In game terms, you automatically succeed on all Willpower rolls, but only if they pertain to the fulfillment of your oaths. Similarly, the power of your sense of duty may be sufficient to allow temporary immunity to other supernatural effects. However, this is not a Merit to be chosen lightly, for those of Loyal Heart are unable to ignore the bonds of the given word.   
**Flaw(s): Arcadian/Ancient Oath**  
Trolls, on the whole, take oaths much more seriously than most, and diligently fulfill their duties and obligations. However, due to the effects of the Mists, many oaths have been forgotten. Characters with this Flaw are bound to just such an oath. 

 

 **John  
Court: Seelie  
Seelie Legacy - Arcadian**  
Your fae side far outweighs your human side. You invariably follow your faerie nature, showing little interest in maintaining human pastimes. You may view humans as inferior or merely less interesting than Kithain, but you do not take them into consideration most of the time. You neglect the human aspects of your life, and thus have less and less to hold you to the world of humanity (you have few human friends, cannot hold a job, etc.). In some ways, your faerie side is an addiction, and you are ill at ease when in your human seeming. You spend most of your time in freeholds or the Dreaming, and are a prime candidate for Bedlam. Despite the disadvantages that your Legacy sometimes incurs, it reflects all that is best about the Seelie Court, and you remain close to your fae nature.  
 **Unseelie Legacy - Fop**  
They call you “superficial,” the uncouth swine. Some say you are arrogant and excessively concerned with such “surface” qualities as dress and manner. Piffle! Affected? You? You are one of the beautiful people, the czars of style. People judge others by their appearance, no matter how much they profess the opposite. You know that style beats substance any day of the week, and you have style in spades. Peasants, prepare to be dazzled!  
 **House: Fiona**  
Lady Fiona and the sidhe of her house stayed on Earth during the Interregnum so that they could continue to explore its pleasures. Some even say she rejected the call of Arcadia because of the love of a mortal man. This would not be surprising in the least; Fiona thoroughly immerse themselves in Earthly pleasures. Fiona sidhe are overly fond of food, drink, drugs and sex, and are often called away from higher pursuits by appeals to their baser needs.Fiona are renowned for their great courage. Any attempt, natural or magical, to generate fear in them automatically fails. Only threats to a lover's life can frighten a Fiona.  
 **Seeming - Wilder  
Kith - Pooka (Black Carcal)**  
Tricksters, shapechangers, animal spirits. The dream of a carefree and less controlled life, similar to that of animals which the pooka have affinities with. When completely alone, they can shapechange into their animal ( or back from it ) in one turn. The pooka has all of the animal's natural abilities ( claws, speed, leaping, etc.). The innate charm of a pooka breaks down the barriers of even the coldest people. Adding a faeries curiosity to that makes him an outstanding confidant. However, Pooka have trouble taking the world seriously can can be prone to elaborate tales and outright lies if the mood takes them.  
 **Merit(s):  
* True Love  
* Reputation: **You have a good reputation among the changelings of your Court. This may be your own reputation, or it may be derived from your mentor. Add three dice to any Dice Pools involving social dealings with others of your Court. A character with this Merit may not take the flaw Notoriety.  
 **Flaw(s): Changeling's Eyes** Your eyes are a startling color, maybe emerald green, violet, or yellow. This is a sign you are a changeling, recognizable to those who know the ancient lore.

 

 **Name: Larry  
Court: Seelie  
Seelie Legacy - Courtier**  
Somewhat the social butterfly, you use wit, charm, and flirtation as tools to lighten the mood. You live for social interaction. You are a student of etiquette and a lover of dances, parties, and courtly gatherings. Your tact and grace often place you in the position of diplomat. Because your goal is harmony, you are deeply concerned with politics, ritual, custom, and the preservation of order. Often working behind the scenes, you soothe hurt feelings and encourage others to relax and have a good time.  
 **Unseelie Legacy - Knave**  
With a sparkle in your eye, you cajole, encourage, tempt, trick, and manipulate others into exploring their darkest desires. You are the pusher, the perverter, taking the sweet and turning it into the sordid. You see yourself as a teacher of sorts– you teach people what base and feral creatures they really are. There’s nothing you love more than to corrupt the innocent and do it with such panache that they never realize they’ve been compromised.  
 **House Fiona  
Kith - Satyr**  
Lovers and revellers, horned god, Pan. Formed from the deep passions and lusts of mortals. All Satyrs have the Gift of Pan (Ability to inspire passion through music) and Physical prowess; however Passion often makes them a slave to their emotions.  
 **Merit(s):  
* Passion **\- Over the centuries, satyrs have lost some of their original passion. The goat with the Passion Merit has retained it in full. You pursue your interests with the utmost intensity and usually succeed at them. Life holds many fascinating changes for you and you don't want to miss out on them. You grab them up greedily. Mundanities, such as money, mean nothing to you except when they result from the pursuit of your Passion. And, because you focus your attention so completely on experience and self-improvement, you do achieve greatness.  
 *** Entertainment Ties** \- You have a degree of fame and influence in the local entertainment scene (music, theater, dance, SCA, etc.). Either you own or manage a good venue or site, or you have some notoriety among both your peers and fans.   
**Flaw(s): Sidhe's Curse**  
The sidhe live in mortal terror of Banality, due to the fact that it can take root in their souls much more easily than any other of the kith. Unfortunately although you are not sidhe, you are subject to this frailty as well. You gain twice as much Banality as a normal fae, and must surround yourself with more glamour than usual to compensate.

 

 **Name: May  
Court Seelie  
Seelie Legacy - Crafter**  
The urge to improve things burns strong within you. You see everything in terms of what you can do to make it better. Nothing brings you greater joy than creating something beautiful or useful out of the ugly or useless. You are never without a project of some sort, whether it is a painting, a sculpture, an organization, or the training and molding of a less-than-perfect individual. You enjoy the process, but can't wait to see the finished product.  
 **Unseelie Legacy - Bon Vivant**  
You know that life is shallow and meaningless. As such, you decide to enjoy your time on Earth, because who knows what comes afterwards? You’re not necessarily irresponsible; rather, you are simple predisposed to having a good time along the way, even if its at the expense of others. You know that once the music stops, you’ll have to face the real world, and its simply too painful to focus on for long. Instead, you throw yourself into blissful denial, attending to your own pleasure rather than the cold, hard facts of life. Hedonists, sybarites, and dilettantes are all examples of this Legacy.  
 **House - Unaligned  
Kith - Satyr  
Merit(s):  
* True Love,   
* Seeming's Blessing**  
All of your Birthrights affect your mortal seeming as well as your fae mein. They would even function normally in the presence of mortals. A satyr retains her extra stamina and speed.  
 **Flaw(s): Surreal Quality**  
Though the Mists still protect you from mortal detection, there is something about you that mortal find fascinating. At inappropriate times, they will stare at you and strike up conversation in hopes of getting to know you better. Worse still, those mortals who are of less savory nature will choose you over other potential targets for their illicit acts.

 

 **Name: Anna  
Court Seelie  
Seelie Legacy - Troubadour**  
You walk in a fog of pink and lilac optimism, feeling emotions more strongly than others and expressing them at every opportunity. You are an idealist who believes in the potential for a perfect world, a perfect love, a perfect life. You step into every situation with enthusiasm and wide-eyed wonder, anxious to experience the thrill of the moment. When you love, you love with abandon. When you cry, your tears would fill an ocean. When you are happy, you make sure everyone knows it. Forgiving and loving, you rarely find it in yourself to hate anyone, seeing them instead as just another fascinating piece of your glorious world.  
 **Unseelie Legacy - Lurker**  
It’s a dangerous world out there, and the nail that stands the tallest gets hammered down. You’ve mastered the art of not being noticed, and you slouch, slink, and creep out of the way of trouble and the attention of others. You may make the occasional “friend,” but he or she had better fend for themselves when times get tough, because that’s just what you plan to do. Those who speak up or act out are only asking for punishment; you toe the party line, no matter how you really feel. You’ve learned that there are some benefits in not being noticed; you can get juicy dirt on people when they’ve been convinced that you’re not worth paying attention to, but you’re loathe to act on any of what you find out for any other reason than to save your own hide.  
 **House Fiona  
Seeming - Wilder  
Kith - Selkie**  
A kith found only by sea shores, and only near waters that seals inhabit. Selikies inherit their seal skin from another selkie, usually resembling a mundane piece of clothing. When putting it on and submerging in the water they become seals. Selkies gain Banality for every day that they are away from the sea shore though, and won't be found very far inland, but are gifted with Seal's Beauty (Charisma, aids Seduction and Leadership) and Ocean's Grace (perfect dexterity in water)  
 **Merit(s):  
* True Love,  
* Poetic Heart**  
You have a truly inspired soul within you. You are destined to be a great hero or artist, and therefore Glamour shields you from the ravages of Banality. At times you may even be able to stave off the tide of Banality.  
 **Flaw(s): Echoes (Minor)**  
Salt thrown over the shoulder for good luck offers a mortal from faerie powers. The same is true of bread. Any mortal who does so cannot be affected by your cantrips in any way for the duration of the scene. You may physically hurt the person, but cantrips simply do not work, or worse, they may well backfire. Additionally, any mortal knowing your full name may command three tasks from you, which you must accomplish before you can be freed of that mortal's influence. However, you need only follow the exact wording of the mortal's request, not the desire behind the request.

 

 **Name: Frank  
Court Seelie  
Seelie Legacy - Saint**  
You feel the pain of those around you and strive to ease their suffering. You give freely of your time, your belongings and whatever else it takes to increase the happiness of others. This often places you in a position of martyrdom, so complete is your altruism. Your own happiness is secondary to that of others. You can become so obsessed with your cause that you endanger yourself. However, you would never do anything that might bring harm to others. You exemplify a life of simple faith and charity, encouraging others to do the same, unlike the Martyr, who undertakes his sacrifice alone. Whenever you protect someone else or alleviate their suffering, you regain Willpower.  
 **Unseelie Legacy - Eye-of-the-Storm**  
The thrill of chaos calls to you, but you see yourself as the center of a storm, twisting all around you while you remain unmoved. You are a master at being unfazed by the ever-changing tableau around you. Perhaps you take great risks, wading through combat or standing atop tall spires while a raging thunderstorm crashes all about. Alternately, perhaps the thrill of court, with its constant subtle manipulations and veiled violence calls to you. You are a master of smiling while they knife you in the back, and subtle reprisal is your calling. Others may regard you as a maniac, a removed manipulator, or an implacable mask-wearer, but you know only by holding fast to where you are can you survive the whirling storm all around.  
 **House: Unaligned  
Seeming - Grump ** (approx 35+ mortal years)  
 **Kith - Troll  
Merit(s):   
* Loyal Heart  
* Iron Resistance**  
Cold iron has no physical effect on you. You may touch cold iron and feel no excruciating pain, not even a tingle. However, constant exposure to the metal will still cause you to suffer Banality.   
**Flaw(s): Ward**  
You are devoted to the protection of a mortal. This character may be a friend or relative from your pre- Chrysalis days, or just a good friend. Wards have a talent for getting caught up in the action of stories, and they're frequent targets of a character's enemies.

 

 **Name: Leon  
Court: Seelie  
Seelie Legacy: Troubadour  
Unseelie Legacy: Knave  
Seeming: Wilder  
Heritage: Sidhe Kinain**  
A Kinain is a mortal that possesses faerie blood, but is not a full Changeling. Kinain are usually born of a Changeling and a mortal or two Changelings. About 15-20% of those with one Changeling parent are Changelings themselves, while about 40-50% of the children of two Changeling parents are Changelings as well. The rest are Kinain. From changelings, Kinain differ in so far that they lack a mien and only possess a mortal half (although they too, possess a Seelie and an Unseelie Legacy). One advantage of this is that Kinain are immune to the pains of Cold Iron or Bedlam, but instead always carry the danger of becoming Dream-struck.  
 **Kinain Backgrounds:  
* Incredible Faerie Blood**  
First-generation kinain, born of one or two changeling parents. You are very clearly kinain to any changeling who takes the time to notice you (Kenning, difficulty 5), and have the potention to learn fairly substantial cantrips of your own.  
 *** Incredible Faerie Mentor** \- Your mentor is a person of great influence and knowledge, most certainly a noble or other kithain of importance. She can teach you up to five different arts and has great wisdom to pass on, if you’re prepared to listen and learn. (Pyretics/fire magic)  
 **Fae Gifts: An-de-shealladh**  
You have the ‘spirit sight’ that lets you see and hear chimera and the true/faerie form of any changelings in the vicinity as if you were enchanted all the time. However, you cannot interact with any chimera/faerie-created constructs unless you are enchanted, they are nothing more than solid looking phantasms to you. This can also have some advantages in rendering you immune to chimerical attack, but it also prevents you from benefiting from any chimera unless you are enchanted (which can have interesting results if you try to walk across a chimerical bridge or sit on a chimerical flying horse). You also can’t necessarily tell if something is a chimera or not unless you try to touch it, which means that caution is always advised when dealing with something strange.  
 **Flaws/Fae Marks: Mark of the Blood**  
Your fae heritage manifests itself in some obvious physical characteristic based on your heritage. This may be something like a slight blue cast to your skin, bright red hair, pointed ears, or eyes of an unusual color. This is a clear sign to anyone who knows something of changelings that you are kinain or a changeling in a mortal seeming.


End file.
